Department of Health: Action to end the wheelchair postcode lottery

People throughout the country who need wheelchairs will be helped by large-scale pilot projects in the East of England and the South West, Care Services Minister Phil Hope announced today.

The pilots will develop a consistent approach. Currently, local health trusts set their own criteria which means entitlement to wheelchair and seating equipment varies across the country.

A key part of the pilot will be setting standards for delivering timely services. Too often, people who need a new service following a life change have to wait too long. This can cut them off from society as well as exacerbating physical issues, resulting in a greater cost to the NHS in the long term.

The pilot will encourage local health trusts to work together. This could mean combining their spending power to get better value for money from wheelchair suppliers. It will also aim to integrate wheelchair support with other services.

Zara Todd and Dr Stephen Duckworth have been appointed as Wheelchair Champions to ensure a co-ordinated national approach. They will work closely with Dr David Colin-Thome National Director – Primary Care & Medical Adviser.

Care Services Minister Phil Hope said:

“Not having the right equipment to get about easily can restrict freedom, isolate and prevent an individual from fully contributing to society.  That’s not right. That’s why is why we are developing a national entitlement standard for wheelchairs services.”

“By combining local NHS spending power and assessing people’s needs in the same way, wherever they live, we can provide better quality services and help people get on with their lives.

“Zara Todd and Stephen Duckworth will be great champions for better wheelchair services across England. They have the Government’s full backing to seek out innovations and make sure that all our wheelchair and seating services meet the needs of users.”

Ruth Owen, Chief Executive of Whizz-Kids, said:

“Thousands of disabled children are missing out on fun and active childhoods because they don’t have a wheelchair appropriate to their needs. Unfortunately, NHS provision of wheelchairs for children and young people is fragmented. Many local PCTs manage long waiting lists, all use different eligibility criteria and few provide equipment that gives a child maximum independence at school, at home and to play with friends. As a result, families turn to charities like Whizz-Kidz.

“In recent years Whizz-Kidz has worked in partnership with local PCTs and NHS London to develop a model for effective wheelchair services and roll it out across the capital. We are keen to share the learnings from these partnerships to inform and support this exciting initiative. And after many years of campaigning, we are extremely hopeful that this pilot will be an important and practical step towards national reform of wheelchair services for children and young people.”

Wheelchair and seating services provide assessment, provision and maintenance for both manual and powered wheelchairs.  Most services also provide additional accessories, such as pressure relief cushions and special seating (for posture management). Primary care trusts are responsible for providing the service and contract external organisations to run the service.

Notes to editors

1.            For information on current wheelchair services see: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/HealthAndSupport/Equipment/DG_4000495

2.            Whizz-Kidz is a charity that is all about giving disabled children and young people the independence to enjoy an active childhood – at home, at school and at play. For further information please see: http://www.whizz-kidz.org.uk/

3.            The new Wheelchair Champions will work closely with Dr David Colin-Thome, The National Director and Primary Care & Medical Adviser.

4.            Zara Todd is Deputy Chair of Equality 2025 - the Government's Advisory Body on disability equality – and is currently studying for a Masters degree at university. At her previous university, she became interested in disability rights and became the Student Union's Disabled Students' Officer, where her work earned her a Times Higher Education Award nomination.  Zara has worked with a number of public authorities and agencies, including Transport for London and the Greater London Authority, and has advised disability and children's organisations and charities on policies and practices concerning equality, diversity and participation. In 2001, Zara set up a website giving information to disabled young people about their rights, a subject which she feels passionately about. She has also championed engaging with young disabled people both in the UK and internationally. Zara sits on the Ministerial Implementation Group for the Aiming High for Disabled Children Programme.

5.        Dr Stephen Duckworth Stephen Duckworth is the Contract Director for Serco Flexible New Deal in the West Midlands. Prior to this he was Chief Executive of Disability Matters Ltd. He has advised UK Ministers on welfare reform, the Polish government on introducing antidiscrimination legislation, and more than 400 public and private sector organisations on how to improve services for disabled customers while increasing the representation of disabled people in their workforce. He was awarded an OBE in 1994 in recognition of his service to disabled people. He sits on the Board of the Olympic Delivery Authority and is a member of the Disability Equality Delivery Board, which advises seven government departments.

6.           For further information or high resolution images contact the Department of Health press office on: 020 7210 5221

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