Supporting independence, choice, and control

Physical disability and complex physical health care

Supporting people with complex physical needs to live with greater choice, independence, and control.

Enquire about care Find a care home
A woman in a wheelchair smiles in a colourful room filled with soft toys, toys, and fairy lights. She wears a black top with patterned leggings and sits near a window and a telly.

Who we support

Our nurse-led care homes support adults with physical disabilities and complex physical health needs who require 24-hour nursing and high levels of support with mobility, personal care, or everyday life.

Physical disabilities and complex health needs

Including:

  • cerebral palsy
  • muscular dystrophy
  • multiple sclerosis
  • spina bifida
  • spinal cord injury
  • acquired disabilities following illness or injury
  • other conditions causing significant physical disability or dependency.

Mobility, movement, and physical function

Including reduced mobility, muscle weakness, paralysis, changes in coordination or dexterity, complex transfers, positioning, and high levels of physical dependency.

Complex nursing and health needs

Including complex medication, respiratory care, continence needs, catheter or stoma care, epilepsy, pain, and other needs requiring ongoing nursing oversight.

Posture, skin integrity, and comfort

Including complex positioning, pressure risks, skin integrity needs, pain, contractures, and other needs affecting physical comfort and wellbeing.

Eating, drinking, and communication

Including dysphagia, nutrition and hydration needs, enteral feeding, communication difficulties, and the use of communication aids or assistive technology.

A smiling man wearing glasses and a white shirt with a lanyard stands by an open door, greeting a person who is partly visible in the foreground. Indoor setting with signs and light coming through the doorway.

When someone might come to live with us

People come to our care homes at different stages of their care journey, including:

  • moving from their own home as their care needs increase
  • moving from another care setting that can no longer meet their needs
  • stepping down from an acute hospital, trauma centre, rehabilitation service, or other inpatient setting when they’re ready for discharge
  • needing a new placement following a previous placement breakdown.

Our approach to complex care

Our approach brings together nursing, clinical, and therapeutic expertise, with staffing and care shaped around each person’s needs, abilities, choices, and goals.

24-hour nursing care

Registered Nurses are on site 24 hours a day, providing responsive care, clinical oversight, and early recognition of change.

Needs-led staffing

Staffing and observation levels are shaped around individual needs, risks, and complexity, adapting as a person’s needs change.

Multidisciplinary approach

Nursing, medical, therapeutic, and behavioural expertise works together to provide coordinated care around each person’s needs.

Complex clinical capability

Complex nursing and clinical needs are supported alongside neurological, mental health, and behavioural needs.

Positive behaviour support

Proactive support helps teams understand distress and behaviour, reduce triggers, build trust, and respond safely and consistently.

Meaningful living

Supporting everyday choices, relationships, interests, abilities, independence, and continued involvement in everyday life.

A man wearing glasses crouches beside a man on an exercise bike.

Therapy, function, and comfort

Our therapy teams support people to maintain or develop function, independence, and comfort wherever possible.

Physiotherapy and occupational therapy support can include:

  • movement, strength, and balance
  • mobility and falls prevention
  • posture and positioning
  • equipment and adaptations
  • everyday living skills.
Read about therapy support

Choice, control, and independence

Needing a high level of physical support shouldn’t mean losing choice and control over everyday life.

We support people to make decisions about their routines, care, relationships, activities, and how they spend their time, with support adapted around what they can do and what matters to them.

Read about our activity approach
A woman in a blue nurse uniform stands outside on green grass, smiling, with a wooden fence and brick building in the background.

Proactive nursing care

24-hour nursing care helps teams recognise and respond to changes in someone’s health at an early stage.

Care can include:

  • complex medication
  • skin and pressure care
  • continence support
  • pain management
  • respiratory care
  • nutrition
  • other clinical needs.

Find complex care

Our Referrals Team can help find the right Exemplar Health Care home for someone living with a physical disability and complex physical health needs.

Make a referral
A woman with short blonde hair sits at an office desk, talking on the phone and smiling. She faces a computer monitor. The background features wallpaper with a black-and-white book pattern.