Review of Wheelchair Services in England

Abstract

This article reviews the results of investigations into wheelchair service provision in the United Kingdom since its devolution to National Health Service trusts in 1991. The following key issues persist: – Funding: The existing dilemma is to find how far a comprehensive service can be provided in a climate with decreasing, real-term funding. – Staffing: The availability of specialist staff on a multidisciplinary team is variable across the country. Some people are not being used in a manner that is suitable to their education and training. – Education and training. Educational backgrounds are variable; however, guidelines for standards have been published for occupational therapists, physiotherapists and rehabilitation engineers. – Accessibility: Users are often not provided with enough information to feel that they have been able to contribute to the prescription of their wheelchairs. – Assessment and prescription: This procedure varies from being based on a referral form to individual meetings between the therapist and the user. – Audit. User satisfaction and the provision of data for purchasers are the advantages of doing regular audits. Where the standards of provision are decided at local level without national guidelines, it is important that information about successful outcomes on limited resources is shared among service managers, therapists and rehabilitation engineers.