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Has anyone else been told they no longer are eligible for a wheelchair on the NHS?

BlueRose1406

Hi everyone, I have just found this community and thought I would sign up to read and share experiences. I have Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy and EUPD amongst other things. I'm hoping to get back to work in the not too distant future. Was also wondering if anyone else had recently been told they no longer are eligible for a wheelchair on the NHS? Having had one for outside use for many years as I cannot manage to walk for anything other than short distances I have recently been told by the wheelchair centre at my local hospital I do not qualify for funding because I do not use a chair full time. This means I have to fund it myself but the one they told me I needed costs £1000+ or so I am told which I do not have. Failing that they tell me I would have to choose to not walk at all and move into a wheelchair adapted property at which point I would get one. Has this happened to anyone else?

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Comments

anaqi

I haven't experienced it myself but a friend in a different region was told she couldn't have an NHS wheelchair because she could walk indoors with crutches. It seems ridiculous that you'd have to give up your mobility and suffer the health problems that brings in order to get a wheelchair to use outside.

nanof6

bluerose i had my electric wchair from them, my property is up for sale, if it wasnt the council would of payed for the ramp, and new door with a low thresh hold, i had to pay for that myself, £3,000. well worth my freedom to get about,i think the goverment put a stop to giveing all a wchar, and said if you dont need it inside you cant have one, i think a lot of people were abuseing the system,there are some mps trying to get it reversed.have you tryed the red cross?

Stupot63

for a thousand pounds you can buy a good electric wheelchair from lloyds pharmacy,just make sure you get the right one for your needs

mossycow

Holy ****.

mossycow

So...if the NHS ordered one especially for my needs... are they likely to taker it back?

BlueRose1406

nanof6 said:

bluerose i had my electric wchair from them, my property is up for sale, if it wasnt the council would of payed for the ramp, and new door with a low thresh hold, i had to pay for that myself, £3,000. well worth my freedom to get about,i think the goverment put a stop to giveing all a wchar, and said if you dont need it inside you cant have one, i think a lot of people were abuseing the system,there are some mps trying to get it reversed.have you tryed the red cross?

I didn't know the Red Cross provided wheelchairs at all.

BlueRose1406

Stupot63 said:

for a thousand pounds you can buy a good electric wheelchair from lloyds pharmacy,just make sure you get the right one for your needs

They might, but I haven't got £1000 to buy one. That's the point. I can't afford to buy my own and they won't give me one anymore.

BlueRose1406

mossycow said:

So...if the NHS ordered one especially for my needs... are they likely to taker it back?

I don't know mossy. I would imagine if it's recently been ordered you are someone they consider to be eligible. Otherwise like me you'll probably find out you aren't eligible when your old one is dying a slow death and you need it replacing at which point they'll tell you the rule change. Assuming they don't scrap it again or it isn't a postcode thing.

BlueRose1406

anaqi said:

I haven't experienced it myself but a friend in a different region was told she couldn't have an NHS wheelchair because she could walk indoors with crutches. It seems ridiculous that you'd have to give up your mobility and suffer the health problems that brings in order to get a wheelchair to use outside.

I couldn't agree more.

CIMTuk

Hi @BlueRose1406 have you asked them what amount you would need to use the wheelchair to qualify.

I think when I worked for the NHS as a physio if someone used a wheelchair for 3 or more times a week they would qualify for funding.

If you still don't qualify it might be worth looking at Access to Work. This is a government funded charity. They can cover up to 90% of the cost of a wheelchair if one is needed to help you access the workplace.

BlueRose1406 said:

I do not qualify for funding because I do not use a chair full time.

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