Hi, I'm JoJack! I am supporting a person who has been an electric wheelchair user for over 15 years

JoJack

I am supporting a person who has been an electric wheelchair user for over 15 years. He has been assessed as no longer needing an electric wheelchair supplied by the NHS. He has been signposted to make an Individual Funding Request to the local Clinical Commissioning Group who may be able to fund an electric chair. Does anybody have experience of making an application who could help in putting forward his case. There have been no changes in his condition over the 15+ years that explains the withdrawal of funding by the NHS. We would be extremely grateful of any help/advice/signposting that people could give.
Many thanks.

Ross_Alumni

Hello @joejack

Welcome to the community, I am sorry to hear of the situation the person you know has been made to go through, hopefully you are able to receive some support / advice.

We won't be able to help with putting together the case, but members are more than welcome to provide their experience and insight, as well as any tips of how to go about doing it. Have you considered seeking some support through somewhere like Advice Local?

Just to let you know, I have moved your discussion to our disability aids and equipment category.

WPM

@JoJack
Have you been given an application form to fill in or just contact details for the CCG?
I dont know about forms but you could email your request to the CCGs as it then becomes easy for them to forward to the relevant person and easy for you to track. 

In the email you could mention how the medical condition affects the wheelchair user,
- physical ability on a day to day basis , health issues, pain etc
- mentally/psycologicaly
- socially: how much help and support does he receive to manage his disbability on a daily/weekly basis, dificulties in accessing commnity, frinds, family, health appointments etc
- economically: ability to earn, can he afford the price of eletric wheelchair which can be as expensive as buying a car!

Stick to the facts related to the wheelchair but dont heistate to paint an emmotional picture. 
CCGs may get in touch with the wheelchair service to find out why he has been refused a wheelchair and some other infromation but what you write in the email forms the base on which they make their decision so dont hold anything back . 

It could be weeks before you hear back from them so chase every 2 weeks or so i would say. 

Lastly, dont pin all your hope on the CCGs and check if you can get any help from charities for buying a wheelchair and its future repais and maintainence. 

All the very best  

 

littleacorn

How is your local authority equipment service for disabled people administered? I know this is different in various areas. In my area it is jointly funded by Social Care and CCG. I have no experience of wheelchairs being funded through NHS and no idea how they should work together. I would speak to Social Care. Did the NHS say why you can no longer bet a wheelchair through NHS?