"Silver Fern Therapy began in 2013, originally under the name Alter Ergo. At the time, John had just completed an MSc in Ergonomics and envisioned a career in that field, so naming the business with a nod to ergonomics made sense." "Although some ergonomic work was undertaken, John’s passion for wheelchair provision quickly took centre stage, and ergonomics was soon placed on the backburner. In 2017, the business name was changed to Silver Fern Therapy. The silver fern is a national icon of New Zealand, famously worn by the All Blacks rugby team on their jerseys." "Silver Fern Therapy set out to make a meaningful impact in the wheelchair industry and improve the service that wheelchair users receive. Too many users were missing out on clinical input during their wheelchair provision. For occasional users, this might not make a significant difference, but for full-time wheelchair users, the correct prescription can be life changing." "A properly-prescribed wheelchair enhances function and enables users to mobilise as efficiently as possible. It also reduces the risk of further disability—whether that’s soft tissue overuse injuries, muscle shortening, or pressure ulcers. While not everything is possible in wheelchair prescription, our clinical input often helps to achieve the best possible compromise." "We’ve built strong relationships with wheelchair retailers, so rather than simply prescribing equipment and disappearing, we guide every patient through the entire process—from assessment to handover and review. If something isn’t right, we collaborate with both the retailer and the client to resolve it." "Product trials are a cornerstone of our approach. We’re one of the UK’s only clinical providers to maintain our own demonstration stock. We want to ensure that anything we recommend is truly right for you—and if we don’t have what you need, we’ll source it from one of our trusted retail or manufacturing partners."
John Fitzpatrick
Managing Director & Principal
Occupational Therapist
Silver Fern Therapy
