The service will provide a high quality and clinically safe integrated Wheelchair Service, including the assessment and provision of equipment, aftercare, repairs, maintenance and support for adults and children who have a physical/cognitive and /or degenerative long term condition which limits mobility. This may also include people who require end of life care. The service will be customer focused and strive to ensure customer satisfaction through skilled and efficient assessment, handover, and maintenance/repair and call out arrangements.

The service will provide a high quality and clinically safe integrated Wheelchair Service, including the assessment and provision of equipment, aftercare, repairs, maintenance and support for adults and children who have a physical/cognitive and /or degenerative long term condition which limits mobility. This may also include people who require end of life care. The service will be customer focused and strive to ensure customer satisfaction through skilled and efficient assessment, handover, and maintenance/repair and call out arrangements.

The Wheelchair Service will assess users for the provision of wheeled mobility equipment for those clients with long term mobility needs, both powered and manual. Pressure relieving cushions and postural management equipment will also be provided to meet long term clinical need.

Assessment and provision will take into account the needs of both the user and the carer/parent and environmental constraints. The service will offer an assessment by senior practitioners for users with complex needs prescribing bespoke equipment. All users will be offered assessments either by telephone and/or letter and either seen in a clinical, home or work environment dependent on the users specified needs.

The specialist centre should be equipped with appropriate equipment for physical examinations and pressure measurement plus suitable facilities for moving and handling. Trial wheelchair/seating equipment should be made available.

The Wheelchair Service will act as a lead for advice on mobility equipment and seating. It will provide training in basic wheelchair prescription to staff and prescribers from acute, community and social care service areas. The service’s therapists will work in an integrated way with rehabilitation engineers and manufacturers to further product development to enhance future wheelchair design.

This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner.