Mobility and Independence: Comprehensive Wheelchair Service for Long-Term Mobility Needs
Overview
The Wheelchair Service in Mid Essex is committed to providing and maintaining wheelchairs for individuals who are unable to walk or have a long-term disability affecting their mobility.
Eligibility Criteria
This service is available to both adults and children who require a wheelchair due to a permanent disability and are registered with a GP in the Mid Essex area (excluding Halstead and the Colne Valley). Please note the following exclusion:
- Temporary disabilities that inhibit walking, such as a broken leg, are not covered.
Service Details
If you have a permanent disability preventing you from walking, our dedicated team of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and technicians will conduct an assessment of your clinical needs. Subsequently, we will provide you with a wheelchair and postural support seating tailored to your requirements. Additionally, we offer ongoing support, maintenance, and periodic reviews to monitor your progress.
Please note that we are unable to assist individuals with temporary disabilities, such as a broken leg.
Service Delivery
Our wheelchair clinic in Chelmsford operates from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm, at the following location:
- Wren House, Hedgerows Business Park, Colchester Road, Chelmsford, CM2 5PF.
We also offer home, hospital, and school/college visits for your convenience.
Referral Process
Referrals to our service must be made by a healthcare professional, such as a GP, nurse, or physiotherapist. Depending on your clinical need, we may issue a wheelchair without requiring an in-person assessment. In such cases, our approved contractors will contact you to arrange a suitable delivery time for your wheelchair.
Patient Feedback
Survey Results from 15 January 2016 to 7 August 2016
Here’s what our service users had to say:
- 100% of respondents reported that they were involved in decisions about the provision of their or their child’s wheelchair to their desired extent.
- 100% said that when they had important questions, they received answers they could understand.
- 100% felt they were treated with dignity and respect while receiving support from the Wheelchair Service.
- 100% believed that their wheelchair assessment adequately addressed their individual needs.
Personal Wheelchair Budgets
As part of national NHS plans to expand personal health budgets, Personal Wheelchair Budget (PWB) agreements have been put into place to replace the current wheelchair voucher system.
A PWB is a resource designed to enhance people’s choice and control over wheelchair provision, whether within NHS commissioned services or outside of them. Wheelchair users can utilse this budget when their wheelchair requires replacement, typically every five years or sooner if their medical needs change.
PWBs can be managed in one of three ways:
Notional PWB: Standard NHS provision where the NHS manages the budget, ensuring the user receives a basic wheelchair that meets their identified needs.
Notional PWB with Contribution: Allows users to enhance their prescribed chair with an extra contribution, covering the cost difference between the NHS-prescribed chair and their chosen chair or additional features. The chair remains NHS property.
Third-Party PWB: Used when clinically appropriate and agreed upon by the wheelchair team. In this option, users are responsible for all repairs and maintenance throughout the wheelchair’s ownership. The PWB amount covers the cost of an NHS-provided chair that meets their needs, plus a contribution towards the chosen chair’s repair and maintenance. If the chair exceeds the PWB amount, the user must cover the additional cost.
PWB payments typically last for five years for adults and three years for children, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Benefits of a PWB
Personal wheelchair budgets aim to provide:
- A framework for person-centred care and support planning.
- Increased control for wheelchair users, their carers, and families regarding wheelchair provision.
- Clarity regarding available choices, including funding and inclusions.
- Opportunities to integrate wheelchair provision with other care and support agencies, fostering holistic, person-centred care and support plans.
Eligibility for a PWB
Individuals registered with a GP in the areas of Essex and are eligible for a permanent loan wheelchair assessment (with exceptions for rapidly changing or deteriorating conditions), qualify for a PWB. Healthcare professionals must make all new referrals, and re-referrals from existing wheelchair users will be accepted.
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0300 303 9957
Enquiries and Referrals
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01245 468834
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If you are registered with SystmOnline you will be able to view your own Electronic Medical Record (EMR), manage your appointments, request repeat medication, update contact details and message your healthcare service. There is also a SystmOnline app available for Apple and Android devices.
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