Getting the most out of wheelchair services

By Miriam Valencia, ASC’s Head of Digital Content 

When we asked a group of service managers who worked for a large care provider what the biggest problems for the people who use their services were, a major theme that was discussed was getting the right wheelchair and the delays people can experience getting a wheelchair. We wanted to make sure that AccessAva could help people whose lives are affected by not having the wheelchair they need, and we set out to investigate this issue.

We interviewed wheelchair users and family carers to find out their experiences. Participants told us about delays to assessments, eligibility criteria being applied in ways that did not take account of the individual’s needs, and limited choice for wheelchair users. We also heard some positive stories about when these services work well and in a timely way. We also learned about the different ways that wheelchairs can be funded and the measures in place for keeping a wheelchair maintained.

Once we had identified the problems that people face securing the right wheelchair at the right time, we turned to our expert legal team to help us write content that would give AccessAva users the tools they needed to address these problems. Our team developed legal letters and factsheets on topics such as:

• - How to request a wheelchair assessment

• - What to do if you are told you are not eligible for a wheelchair from the NHS

• - Challenging a decision about the type of wheelchair you need

• - Dealing with delays to getting a wheelchair

• - Your rights when your wheelchair needs maintained or repaired

AccessAva users can find this information and more when they select Equipment and adaptations from the main menu.

If you have a story you would like to share about wheelchair services, you can share your experiences here.