Rolling Through the WORLD

I finish college in exactly 4 months and honestly its been the most stressful year so far due to trying to plan everything I need before I leave.

The Challenge with Physiotherapy

One of the most stressful things that I’ve been trying to plan has been physio. The worry, the anxiety about not receiving the same amount of physio that I’m getting now has been constantly on my mind. You see NHS doesn’t do proper Neuro physio therapy which is why we had to look into getting it privately. So last month I came across a Charity called Active Neuro.

Discovering Active Neuro

Active Neuro is as an organisation, it is a specialist neurological rehabilitation provider in the UK. They support people recovering from:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Strokes
• Brain injuries
• Degenerative neurological conditions
• Complex physical disabilities

Their approach blends advanced rehabilitation technology with a multidisciplinary team, offering physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, psychology, and even neurologic music therapy. Formerly known as Neural Pathways, they rebranded as Active Neuro to reflect their focus on empowering people to rebuild strength, confidence, and independence through personalised programmes.

Locations Across the UK

There are multiple centres throughout the UK.

Kibblesworth Neurological Rehabilitation Centre — Gateshead

Woodlands Neurological Rehabilitation Centre — York

Hothfield Neurological Rehabilitation Centre — Kent

Chislehurst Neuro Rehabilitation Centre — Chislehurst, Kent

Funding and Costs

My family chose Hothfield as they are more advanced for me. So the first thing we did was we rang them up me and my nurse and we both thought it would be absolutely perfect for me. They offer programmes using robotic devices like the wrist motus and the arm motus. They even offered weekly sessions which is very rare when it comes to physio in the community. But unfortunately due to it not being under the NHS this was not free. The sessions were £158 an hour and the pre assessment was £200. So what I did was I wrote all of the details down and I emailed everything to the person who is in charge with the ICB. Honestly I thought we would have to fight for this funding but we didn’t at all. I was completely shocked when I heard back from them the next day saying its been confirmed.

Then as soon as that happened, all of the paperwork started to come through. For the payment I had two options,

1. Use direct payments ; This is if I wanted to pay for the company myself so the ICB would give me the money and I would pay them directly
2. Use care in finance: Which is a company that sorts out the money for me and pays them so I didn’t have to worry about.

I chose number two. My parents then had to help me sign some things to do with the accountants. Just all those boring. Once everything was done, we were all set to go.

The Assessment Experience

I had the assessment and honestly it was incredible. My best friend came with me as she is now a qualified physio therapist so she actually had a interview that day so she came with me. The lady who I saw was called Joyce and she was lovely I mean they all were. She did some ranges and stretches on me and I showed her my balancing and how strong my core muscles were. But be prepared if you do go for the assessment there, by the end of it you’ll be absolutely wiped out like I was.

I tried one other equipment the wrist Motus and I absolutely amazing I loved it! I played this shooting game where you had to move this bar to shoot the targets.

Preparing for the Next Chapter

As my visit to Hothfield Neurological comes to an end, I feel both inspired and excited for what lies ahead. Seeing the dedication, compassion, and skill of the team has reinforced my passion for physiotherapy and the difference it can make in people’s lives.

This experience has given me a clearer understanding of the challenges patients face and the importance of tailored rehabilitation. It’s not just about physical recovery, but about restoring confidence, independence, and quality of life.

I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to observe and learn in such a supportive environment. It has confirmed that this is the path I want to pursue, and I’m proud to be starting my journey here after college as a physiotherapist.

This is just the beginning—and I’m ready for it.