I was just wondering if anyone else knows the Criteria for receiving a power wheelchair from the NHS. I bought my chair second hand 2 years ago and it needs replacing. It needs a new gear box and the man at the shop mobility said its not worth spending anymore money on this chair. i really can’t manage without it ,my son took me out in the manual chair at the weekend and i hated it . iv’e got used to the independence of having a power chair and Frazer and me going everywhere. At the moment my power chair is still working but iv’e been advised to buy another one soon.
Thanks Michelle and Frazer
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Hi Michelle
Get your OT of GP to refer you to wheelchair services, ask them to mark it as urgent, and they will sort out the best chair for your needs. Usually it can be a long waiting list, this differs from area to area, so get the ball rolling as quick as you can.
Let us know how you get on, love from Alfie to Fraser.
Pam x
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That sounds good advice from Pam. I just bought two electric wheelchairs within five months. One is portable and the other elegant little beast is for the house although I’m taking it one mile up the road to the bank tomorrow. I’m sure I could have applied to wheelchair services but I was impatient. The indoor one rises six inches. I can prepare food and get at the cupboards again.
Best wishes, Steve x
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I got mine from wheelchair services referral from OT at one stage after a fall my life was all different departments but they all did good. My first chair was quick but it’s replacement was customized for my needs and took six months or more but was worth the wait and I already had a chair. I have a manual one but can’t move far due to pains in my hand which has been put down to arthritis. Evidently you don’t want to get somewhere and can’t get back. Hence Powerchair.
XXX Don
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Hi Michelle, as Pam says, get GP to refer you. I was offered power chair immediately but only wanted manual as use my scooter. I think it varies in different local authorities.
IF by any chance they won’t give you one you can apply for a grant on this site…but hopefully you won’t need to and will get one via council. It’s great because they service them once a year and replace them when necessary.
All the best…Dickie says meow to Frazer.
Pat xx
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I recently had a visit from a lady representing ‘wheelchair services’
Despite me explaining that I have no strength/grip/control in the right arm/hand and therefore needed a powerchair, she insisted on me trying a manual wheelchair.
Not only could I not push it properly, but - as I’d already told her, it needed to be less than 23" wide to get through my hallway and internal doorways.
Having stipulated these requirements, she still tried to force me to agree to a totally unsuitable chair …and when I refused, she concluded by saying I wasn’t disabled enough to qualify for a chair anyway, so tough poop on me !!
Bought a suitable electric chair privately with savings and financial donations from the family, and I use this powerchair everyday. (…there’s still things I need to stand-up for but the chair is a massive help) !!
Dom
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Thanks Pam, my ot said it was up to the doctor to refer me to the wheelchair centre, so i asked about a month ago, but when i rang yesterday they hadn’t received the fax so ive had to chase it up. I’m not sure what will happen some authorities are stricter i don’t use my chair inside, i wall walk, but I fall an awful lot I’ve got good bones but i’m sure that falling on my knees is going to eventually damage them. I can’t do without my chair outside i struggled to get to the car this morning i had to crawl along the path, even the bars along the path were no good, i think the heat makes it worse. I have already got a manual chair from the NHS, but i haven’t got the strength in my arms. if they say no i will just have to save up for a second hand one.
Michelle
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Thanks Steve, The guy who trained at Canine Partners alongside myself had one of those chairs he could reach high up, i think it had him at standing height.
Michelle
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Thanks Don i think i will have to let Frazer pick my next chair after all he’s the one who is going to be walking next to it.
Michelle and Frazer xx
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Thanks Pat, ive just applied for funding from the rotary club, but its been a few weeks and they haven’t got back to me, i applied to them because i thought i might not meet the criteria for the nhs with having some mobility, but only in my own home… Its daft really because i’m Mollys carer (Autistic 15 year old) and Molly and Frazer and I go everywhere, although when shes with me i tell her that shes my carer…It sometimes works so she behaves bit better…not always which is pretty scary when you are in a chair. Believe me… iv’e had to do some fast talking! But to cut a long story short i couldn’t manage without a power chair.
Michelle x
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Thanks Dom. I know a lady in Scotland and they have been awful with her, very similar to how you have been treated. If i have to buy one my self ill just have to save up the Shop Mobility in Chester repaired my chair and although he says its on its way out its still okay for now. They often get reconditioned chairs in so i would probably get one from them.
Michelle x
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Tell them you have deteriorated since having the manual chair, and you can no longer propel yourself, making you a prisoner in your home, surely they have to take notice. Also ask the doc to put in his fax that he recommends you have a power chair, that will also help. If you have an ms nurse, ask them to writ e as well, the more the better.
its strange how the areas all differ, it was the ot tha referred me, mind that was a long time ago, it may have changed by now.
Life is hard enough isn’t it, without having all these obstacles put in the way.
chase them up Michelle, be a nuisance if you have to, fingers crossed.
Pam x
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Thanks, i never have been able to propel myself Pam, my arms go weak. i have been using the power chair for 2 years. The NHS self propel one was my chair before i bought the power one, it has always been pushed by Lee or one of my sons.
Michelle x
Hi, what I did when I needed a scooter and wheelchair which isn’t a power chair. My partner pushes me which I don’t mind as we tend to have lots of fun. Like beating the traffic when it’s a red light for pedestrians which tends to shock everyone that’s waiting to cross. Any way getting back to my point we went mobility shops made a note of the make and model and then found it on the Internet for a lot cheaper as we found the mobility places rip you off.
Polly x
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Thanks Polly, we got my last one of eBay so I could look for one again but we’ve had a lot of expenses so it will be a while before I can afford one. The shop mobility is a place that hires out chairs for shoppers the guys there are lovely they repaired my chair about a month ago stripped it all down and spent the best part of a day and only charged me 30 pounds. It sounds like you have a lot of fun with your chair. Isabelle my little sometimes stands on the metal bars at the back of my chair and we race at full speed it’s funny watching people’s reactions. Michelle x
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Michelle, my partner stands on the back of my scooter but it slows it right down as he is much heavier than me. Thinking of getting a buggy board to fit on the back so he can stand more comfortably. I think when you are in a wheelchair at quite a youn age as I am only 45 you have to make light of it or what’s the point.
Anyway Frazer sounds a great help. We have 2 dogs but they are pets and instead of calling them helping dogs I call them hindering dogs. Love them still the same though.
Polly x
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Thanks Polly, you are right i try to make light of it. My daughter is 13 and quite small so she can easily stand on the metal bars. One night we were whizzing around the Cheshire oaks shopping place, it wasn’t busy as everything was closing and a security guard told us to slow down, we sped away from him laughing cos there was nothing he could do he couldn’t catch us anyway.
Your dogs sound fantastic, its amazing what joy animals bring.
Michelle x
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If you receive dla or pip at the right rate part of that can be put towards a chair on the motability scheme.
We had to battle to get my adults daughters chair from wheelchair services.
Good luck
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Hi, my electric wheelchair is on the Motability scheme. It costs me around £103 a month…quite a chunk out of my DLA. But I didnt want to wait on the wheelchair services long list.
The only problem is the foam material the arms are made of. They are very soft and Ive had 3 arms on the right, as they sometimes get knocked (ok, I know its m driving!) and they easily shred. I have sellotape on them and it looks a chuff!
pollx
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