Charities have backed plans to create legislation to ensure those who need temporary access to a wheelchair receive one
Charities have backed plans to provide wheelchairs for those that require them on a temporary basis.
Jackie Baillie MSP will today launch a public consultation on proposed legislation which would see wheelchairs supplied to people who need one.
There is no duty on the NHS, or any other public body, to provide short-term wheelchairs to anyone with a mobility problem that is expected to last for less than six months.
The current criteria to access NHS wheelchair services states that the mobility need must be permanent.
This instantly prevents those with short-term needs accessing a wheelchair, and leaves many people prisoners in their own homes, unable to get out and increasingly dependent on others. In the worst-case scenario, it can lead to people being stuck in hospital for longer than necessary with delays to their discharge from hospital, while arrangements are made to approach charities such as the British Red Cross to access the loan of a wheelchair.
A Freedom of Information request by Baillie found that only one NHS wheelchair provider was prepared to provide a wheelchair on a short-term basis and this was only issued in specific circumstances. There were no set criteria for how wheelchairs were provided in the short-term.
The result is that the provision of short-term wheelchairs is varied, inconsistent, and is often dependent on an individual’s own knowledge. This means that many people who would benefit from access to a wheelchair are left struggling to cope without one.
“Our mobility is something that we often take for granted,” said Baillie. “Being mobile enables us to enjoy our freedom and autonomy, to go out to work, to get about our local community and to visit friends. Not being able to get about is very restrictive, it can be isolating and often leaves a person with impaired mobility wholly dependent on others.
“Not being able to access a wheelchair when you have a clear short-term mobility need can lead to a delay in discharge from hospital; prolong your rehabilitation; slow down your reablement and have a negative impact on your emotional wellbeing, your social connections and your financial situation.”
Charities have backed the plans, which they say will help people to live more independently. Fiona MacLeod, senior policy and public affairs officer at the British Red Cross, said: “Through our services, we see every day the significant difference that accessing a wheelchair can have. Not only can it help people get out and about and maintain some sense of their life, but it can help them to get to work, reduce their dependency on their family and friends, and sometimes speed up their recovery time.
“Last year we published our Maintaining Mobility report. This found that 65% of people with an unmet short-term mobility need experienced significant negative impact on their quality of life.
“For those who we were able to loan a wheelchair, 90% said it made it easier to manage day to day activities, and almost half said it hastened their recovery time.
“But there are also benefits to the health and care system – reducing pressure by facilitating timely discharge, avoiding home visits and reducing missed or late appointments.
“Our evidence suggests that implementing this bill could have positive economic benefits with our analysis indicating potential savings ranging from £469 to £4,607, with an average saving of £1,676 for every person.”
Joseph Carter, head of British Lung Foundation Scotland, said: “When you are feeling so breathless that you need help to get around, the last thing that you want to be worrying about is whether you will have access to the support you need to cope with your breathlessness.
“Being diagnosed with an advanced form of lung disease is life-changing and it can be daunting to think about all the changes that come with it. By giving people faster access to wheelchairs to help them cope with extreme breathlessness, this Bill would make adapting to these changes much less stressful.”
“We welcome this proposal which could have a positive impact for many of the 11,000 people in Scotland living with MS,” said Morna Simpkins, director of MS Society Scotland.
“Issues with mobility can affect people’s independence, confidence, employment and social lives so ensuring access to short-term wheelchairs for those who need it is crucial.
“Far too often the current system leaves people with short-term need and those waiting for assessment and provision on a permanent basis without the correct level of support to their mobility.
“We urge ministers to back this proposal and tackle the issue head-on.”
Wheelchair offered me a lifeline
Jacqui Walker is an active and busy lady who holds a high-profile job in a charity. She broke a bone in her right foot when she slipped on a stair in her house on 30 December 2018. It was a non-weight bearing injury and she was in a cast for a total of 12 weeks.
She had never experienced any health issues in the past. She says she was really floored by her experience of having to live with the pain and inconvenience of being in a cast and the difficulty in using the crutches supplied to her by her local hospital when going about normal day to day activities. A wheelchair wasn’t mentioned to her at all as an alternative.
In considerable pain she was housebound and reliant on others. She felt trapped in her own home and unable to carrying anything as she needed to rely on her crutches. Her mood declined with increasing feelings of claustrophobia. She struggled to do simple tasks such as making a cup of tea, preparing a meal or even going to the toilet.
Jacqui found out that the British Red Cross loaned wheelchairs from a colleague at work: “It was a lifeline and it allowed me to get out of the house and has enabled me to get around my house independently.”
She could now make herself cup of tea and makes meals for herself instead of relying on others to help. With this independence her mood improved and her recovery was helped.
