Services

Wheelchair services, including rehabilitation engineering

The service provides wheelchairs, buggies, pressure distributing cushions and associated special seating for people of all ages with a permanent disability affecting their ability to walk. It is an ‘open access’ service and registered clients can contact therapists for information and advice as necessary. The Wheelchair Service based at Queen Mary's is for people registered with GPs in Wandsworth, Richmond, Kingston, Spelthorne, Merton and Sutton.

Services offered

Most clients are assessed in their own homes by experienced Occupational Therapists or Physiotherapists, who work closely with them to assess their requirements for manual or powered wheelchairs, specialist children’s buggies and associated supportive seating. Clinics are held at Queen Mary’s Hospital for clients with complex needs.

Once equipment has been provided, the service continues to monitor clients’ needs and carry out equipment maintenance work via a contracted repair company (currently Serco).

Vouchers for manual wheelchairs are available for people wishing to purchase chairs not available through the NHS.

A pressure mapping service is also available.

Facilities

Dedicated clinic with ceiling track hoist and adjacent disabled toilet.

Opening hours

Monday to Friday 09.00 - 16.30hrs
If phones are busy or you call out of hours, please leave a voice message and we will phone you back.

Service leads

Emma Wakeling, Team Leader
Caroline Stanfield, Team Leader

Clinicians

Occupational Therapists
Physiotherapists
Rehabilitation Engineers

Contact details

Tel
020 8487 6084 / 6085

Fax
020 8487 6186

Email
emma.wakeling@stgeorges.nhs.uk

Email
caroline.stanfield@stgeorges.nhs.uk

Referrals

Referrals are accepted from GPs, specialist nurses, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists. View referal forms

Adult's Manual Wheelchairs - Full Time Users

Attendant pushed wheelchairs may be issued to:

People who are unable to self propel
People who have a helper available on a regular basis who can push and control the chair safely
People who have restricted mobility

Self-propelling chairs may be issued to:

People with restricted mobility
People who can use the chair independently
People living in an environment where the larger wheels would facilitate use of the chair

Active user wheelchairs may be issued to:

People who can safely use the chair independently in all environments; will be active and functionally independent
People whose activity levels will be significantly improved
People with a progressive disease who will benefit clinically from ease of use

Adult attendent pushed wheelchairs outdoors use

People who are unable to walk outside
People who have a helper who is medically fit and able to push and control the chair safely
People who will use the chair on a regular basis

Children’s Manual Wheelchairs

The Wheelchair Service provides chairs primarily for home use. We do not provide wheelchairs for school use only.

Special buggies

These are pushchairs for children with physical disabilities to enable very young children to be taken out long distances by parents/carers. They provide more postural support than can be provided in a child’s standard buggy or a Maclaren major buggy.

They may be issued when:

The child has significant developmental delay, is not able to walk and it is envisaged that the buggy will be required for at least two years
The child has a permanent mobility problem or limited mobility walking out of doors
The child requires more postural support than can be provided by a standard buggy or Maclaren major buggy
The child is of an appropriate age for use of a buggy rather than a wheelchair (usually up to 5 years)
Where appropriate a supportive seat insert may be provided for use in the child’s own buggy
It is expected that a child will progress into a wheelchair as he or she gets older
Buggies are not provided for children when the request is for behavioural reasons alone
Accessories such as rain covers, play trays and shopping baskets are not provided by the wheelchair service; however the service can provide information about where such items can be privately purchased
Double buggies are not provided by the wheelchair service
Three-wheeled buggies are not provided by the wheelchair service
The voucher scheme may be an option when a specific buggy is desired by the parent or carer but is not clinically essential for mobility and postural needs

Self-propelling wheelchairs may be issued to:

children who are unable, or have limited ability to walk
children who have the ability to safely self propel to increase their mobility and independence

Attendant pushed wheelchairs may be issued to:

children with a fluctuating condition or restricted mobility
children with a specific requirement for transit wheels
children who have a permanent mobility problem or delayed mobility and are unable to self propel

Please note:

Accessories are only provided as part of a postural support system to meet assessed clinical need
Accessories needed for transportation that are not clinically required are the responsibility of the transport provider e.g. some headrests

Electrically Powered Indoor Wheelchair (EPIC) (Adult and Children)

These chairs are not transportable and must not be used outdoors. They may be issued if the user:

is unable to walk or where walking is medically not advised
is unable/unfit to self propel
is physically and cognitively able to handle the chair safely
will achieve significant additional functional and personal independence in his or her own home
has a home home environment that is suitable for a powered chair
is able to manage the essential care of the chair, including charging the chair
will use the chair for a significant amount of time every day

Please note:

These chairs are not supplied for exclusive use in day centres or schools
These chairs are not usually issued to clients living in residential or nursing homes
Vouchers are not available for powered chairs

Electrically Powered Indoor / Outdoor Wheelchair (EPIOC)

All the above plus:

Client must meet the eligibility criteria. (see below)
Client must be prepared to participate in the whole assessment process, including the Proficiency Test

Eligibility criteria

These eligibility criteria have been produced to ensure that the most severely disabled people receive the highest priority for the issue of an electrically powered indoor outdoor wheelchair (EPIOC).

In order to be eligible for provision of an EPIOC the user must:

be unable to walk and unable to propel a manual wheelchair indoors
have a clinical need to use a powered wheelchair to achieve independent mobility at all times within their home
live in the Boroughs of Merton, Sutton, Wandsworth, Richmond, Kingston or Spelthorne and be registered with a GP in within these areas or be the financial responsibility of the local Primary Care Trust
have a permanent need for a dual purpose indoor outdoor powered wheelchair
be able to ensure that an EPIOC will be cared for adequately either personally or by someone else
have a residential environment which is compatible with the use of an EPIOC, including an appropriate area with a power supply for a battery charger and wheelchair access to the outside
not exceed the maximum weight limit for the locally agreed range of wheelchairs
derive significant improvement in independence and quality of life through use of an EPIOC
be medically fit to independently control a powered wheelchair indoors and outdoors e.g.: can comply with DVLC requirements for motor vehicle drivers concerning epilepsy and other causes of loss of consciousness
Demonstrated in a driving test and by other means the insight, intellectual capacity and dexterity to operate an EPIOC safely and responsibly on their own and without assistance. Users should also demonstrate the capacity to compensate for their sensory or physical deficits
be able to read a car number plate at eight metres (27 feet)
have no problems with visual, cognitive, visio-spatial or other higher cortical functions or other medical conditions which would endanger themselves, pedestrians or other road users
agree to abide by the locally determined conditions of loan

If the user subsequently fails to meet any one of these criteria the wheelchair may be withdrawn. This will be determined by regular reviews.

Please note:
Priority is given to people who currently use an NHS indoor powered wheelchair or live alone.

Accessories and extras

The Wheelchair Service provides a variety of accessories to ensure the chair meets the client’s individual needs.

Pressure distributing cushions

A range of wheelchair cushions is available from the Wheelchair Service. Cushions are issued following an assessment by the Wheelchair Service therapist, to improve posture or tissue viability.

Cushions are not usually provided for clients classed as occasional users. If a client has a specific need for a pressure cushion or has an existing pressure sore that is affected by sitting in the chair a pressure cushion may be provided.

Referrals from Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists can be made on a referral form.

Accessories to suit posture and mobility requirements

Accessories can be provided to improve seating and postural support in a wheelchair. Such equipment may also promote increased functional independence and mobility.

Assessments for this type of equipment will be carried out by an appropriately experienced therapist from the Wheelchair Service, and, if appropriate, with a Rehabilitation Engineer.

Examples of such equipment may include:

Thoracic and pelvic supports
Headrests
Leg and foot supports
Harnesses
Backrests

A large range of wheelchair accessories is commercially available. Many of these are not clinically necessary for a client, so would not be issued by the Wheelchair Service, but could be purchased privately.

For safety reasons, the Wheelchair Service must be contacted for advice prior to fitting any equipment to a NHS issued wheelchair.

Guidelines for provision of wheelchairs to residents in care homes

Patients being discharged to residential/nursing homes can view guidlines for referring to the Wheelchair Service.

Wheelchair hire and purchase information

Voucher Scheme

There are two types of voucher available:

Partnership Option
Independent Option

The value of the voucher is based on the model of the wheelchair that would be issued by the Wheelchair Service to meet the client’s assessed clinical need. The independent option includes repair and maintenance costs and therefore allows the client a wider choice of chair. You can view the voucher scheme below.

Wheelchair service voucher

Referall forms for healthcare professionals

GP referral form

Therapist referral form

Equipment maintenance, repair and collection

Clients should not attempt their own repairs. A repair service is provided for chairs issued to named clients and also for pool chairs.

For repairs to your wheelchair contact Serco on 020 8665 9098

The Wheelchair Service will check all issued equipment on a regular basis. Chairs in poor condition, and those not allocated to named clients, will be collected for recycling.

Wheelchairs issued are on loan and remain NHS property. If you no longer need your wheelchair, please telephone Serco on 020 8665 9098 to arrange collection. In order to make the most of our resources and and keep waiting times as low as possible, most equipment returned will be refurbished to a high standard and reused.

Wheelchair Service User Group

The Wheelchair Service User Group is a group of people who have received a wheelchair from the NHS Wheelchair Service. They meet regularly with service providers and other interested parties to discuss ways of improving provision for wheelchair users. Meetings are held quarterly at Queen Mary’s Hospital.

If you are interested in joining the group please contact:

Chair of the Queen Mary's Hospital group
Jane Lawrence on 020 8399 3991 or email her on jane@caldertalk.fsnet.co.uk

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