Will purchasing a wheelchair through the personal wheelchair budget (PWB) scheme be quicker than getting a wheelchair through the NHS?
There is no guarantee that either paying a feature to go on the wheelchair (through the notional plus option), or purchasing your own wheelchair through the third party option will be any quicker.
Knowing the type of wheelchair that you would like and the supplier or retailer of the wheelchair, will help to increase the turnaround time for you to get a wheelchair.
There is mandatory paperwork relating to the PWB scheme and the supplier of the wheelchair needs to fill out sections of this (in the case of third party PWBs). The wheelchair service therapist will make every attempt to complete the necessary parts they need to fill in as quickly as possible, however the order cannot be processed until the supplier has filled out their parts.
Therefore, there is no guarantee the wheelchair will be provided any quicker and we cannot give a turnaround time, as there are elements beyond the wheelchair service’s control.
I have purchased a wheelchair through the PWB scheme (previously the voucher scheme) and have had my wheelchair for five or more years; will I be assessed for a new wheelchair?
The five-year period for a PWB wheelchair/notional plus part on the wheelchair comes from the warranty that suppliers provide.
This does not mean you have to wait five years for a review. If you feel your circumstances have changed, or your needs have changed before the five years are up, we are always happy to carry out a review.
At the end of the five years there is no guarantee that you will be assessed for a new wheelchair. During the review appointment, if it is felt the wheelchair continues to meet your needs and the cost to maintain the wheelchair would be less than the value to replace it, then we would not provide a new wheelchair.
If a new wheelchair is needed then you will be entitled to a new one from the wheelchair service, or can enter the PWB scheme again if you wish.
The wheelchair I have been given through the NHS is an appropriate size for me but does not fit through the doorways in my property
As a general rule a self-propelling wheelchair is the seat width + 6” / 15cm and a transit wheelchair is the seat width + 4” / 10cm so please take this into consideration when completing a referral for a wheelchair.
Are there other considerations that need to be made?
Part of an assessment for your wheelchair will be a discussion around where you will be intending to use the wheelchair. The size of the wheelchair can be taken into account but the priority is to provide the correct size for you to promote comfort and support. There may be compromises that can be made and these will be discussed with you but there will be only so much we can do to the size of the wheelchair before it would become unusable for you to sit in.
If there is concern the wheelchair will not fit around the home then we would recommend considering referring to social services for adaptations to be made so the wheelchair will fit around your home. If required, supporting statements can be offered by our department.
I’m waiting to receive a wheelchair from wheelchair service but need to know the dimensions of the wheelchair
You may have been told the make and model of the wheelchair during the assessment. If so, the dimensions of the wheelchair can be found on the supplier/manufacturer’s website. If you are not sure or cannot remember please contact us and we can provide you with the make and model.
The supplier/manufacturer’s website will give the maximum size of that model. Therefore, your wheelchair might be narrower or shorter in overall width and length. It is always best to assume your wheelchair will be the maximum length to ensure adequate turning space.
If you are worried the maximum width will be too wide for what you need the measurements for then, as a rule:
- Overall width of a self-propelling wheelchair: seat width + 6” / 15cm
- Overall width of a transit wheelchair: seat with + 4” / 10cm
This is a guide only. If you are expecting a handover appointment the widest point of the wheelchair may not be the rear wheels once all adjustments to the wheelchair have been made.
How long will it take to be provided with a new piece of equipment or spare parts for my wheelchair?
Unfortunately, the wheelchair service cannot give a specific turnaround time because there is limited storage space within our department to hold parts for wheelchairs and the wheelchairs themselves.
Ross Care, our approved repair service, hold wheelchair parts in stock and when raising a repair for a wheelchair their stock is checked. If the part is in stock at either wheelchair service or Ross Care, then a more specific timeframe can be provided.
However, if parts of a wheelchair are having to be ordered we cannot give a specific time.
The suppliers we use will keep their own set of spare parts. How quickly we can get the spare parts in stock is dependent on whether the supplier has these parts in stock at the time of ordering. Some of the suppliers we use make and assemble equipment in the UK, but the majority make the equipment abroad and are then assembled in the UK.
Therefore, if the parts are not in stock with the supplier there will be a shipping time that will impact on how soon we get these parts in stock.
Because most wheelchairs are made abroad and shipped into the country for assembly, the shipping time applies to ordering any new wheelchair, and in particular powered chairs.
How long will it take for me to receive an appointment?
The waiting list can vary as it is impacted heavily by staff availability. We aim to carry out an initial assessment for new referrals or re-assessments within six to eight weeks.
My wheelchair/equipment has been delivered before my appointment. When can I use it?
Please wait until the appointment before using any delivered equipment. We appreciate many of our patients are experienced users or they have used the equipment delivered before. However, the appointment has been offered to ensure suitability.
You are experts of yourself, but if for whatever reason the equipment is not appropriate, or needs adjusting for suitability or safety, then it is not guaranteed the equipment will be what you are expecting if you use it before the appointment.
Wheelchair service will not be able to take full responsibility for any damages or repairs that occur if the wheelchair is used before the appointment.
Any repairs to the equipment may incur a cost to yourself if used before the appointment.
For direct issues, the footplate height and lap belt length should be adjusted to you at the point of delivery.
Whose responsibility is it to provide and fit replacement parts to my wheelchair?
If your wheelchair has been provided by wheelchair service then repairs should be completed by Ross Care. This ensures the responsibility to carry out the repair lies with an approved repairer.
If a wheelchair has been provided by wheelchair service and has been repaired by someone other than Ross Care then:
- No responsibility will be taken by wheelchair service should the part that has been repaired fail, or the nature of any subsequent disrepair to the wheelchair relating to the repair that been carried out e.g. other parts of the wheelchair are put under additional strain. However, Ross Care will carry out a repair to rectify the issue. Please note, this may be at a charge to you.
- If the failure of the repair results in the wheelchair needing to be replaced or there is additional damage to the chair beyond the part that has failed (and previously repaired), this may result in a charge to you.
If the wheelchair has been purchased through the personal wheelchair budget (PWB) we strongly recommend ensuring the wheelchair is purchased from a retailer who offers a repair service and aftersales care. Repairs should then be carried out by them.
An annual contribution is offered towards the cost of maintenance. This can be claimed back through submission of a receipt or invoice.
Please note the annual costs cannot be rolled over from year to year and the amount that can be claimed back is a flat rate year on year.
As my child gets older, will they have to go to a separate team or service?
No, wheelchair service provides a life-long service with no separate child or adult service.
Why are children’s wheelchairs and buggies/pushchairs provided by your service?
Children from 24 months can be referred to our service and without the need of specialist equipment would likely be using buggies for their mobility.
Part of the reason children’s wheelchairs are provided are for when a child would be otherwise starting to become independent with their mobility.
For this reason, there is more adjustment available on our children’s wheelchairs, which helps to make it ‘future proof’ as the child grows. Additionally, if more support is required from the seating, there are more options available to increase support, than there is on buggies/pushchairs.
Children’s wheelchairs are also size dependent and there may be a discussion around the provision of a wheelchair if the child’s measurements indicate they would fit into a children’s wheelchair.
There are other factors to take into consideration when assessing for a wheelchair or a buggy/pushchair and every child is different. These considerations will be taken into account and discussed during the appointment.