Hi, my name is RosieBrock!

RosieBrock

As a new wheelchair user I am astonished at the appalling lack of support to get a free wheelchair. I was deeply upset by a slimy bureaucrat who called herself an occupational therapist, but who acted like the Gestapo when she rang me following a GP referral.   She worked for Millbrook, the private profit making company that gets its contracts from social care and NHS budgets that you and I pay for.  I am also deeply unimpressed by the ignorant sales girls ad boys at some of the largest online equipment companies.  Poorly trained, they are not good at helping to identify the right wheelchair, but only bothered with making a sale. I also can't find any decent crutch holders that can be tied on or clipped on to a wheelchair.  I have severe arthritis and desperately need a wheelchair to get me to several London hospital appointment. I can not walk more than five yards- pain and weakness overwhelms.  They pay lip service to compassion. 

janer1967

Hi and welcome to the community 

Unfortunately I have experienced much the same from NHS wheelchair services and was told if I didn't attend a review appt they would come and remove my chair 

I can't walk full stop full time chair user 

They are very rigid in what they can offer they wanted me to have a chair that wouldn't go through my doors and answer was get doors widened or move house 

Long story short I have purchased my own chair I got it online but I have had chair for over 4 years so knew what I wanted.  I understand this may not be an option yo buy or buy online if its your first chair 

Also buying online it was delivered 2 days after ordering . A lot of those advertised are from china so be careful if you go down this route get a UK based company 

RosieBrock

Thanks so much. How can i know if it is UK based? i.e. Care Co -is that UK based or a company that imports wheelchairs and other equipment?Do you know?  They were the ones who were ignorant when I made enquiries. Meanwhile, in the NHS, Millbrook operates for the NHS  in East Sussex and makes a profit! They have shareholders. Is Government selling off the NHS mobility equipment service to private companies?  There was an appalling occupational therapist I spoke to. The 'advice' you got to get doors widened or move house is atrocious. Did you ever write about that to the newspapers? To my mind it is frankly, criminal.  What was your wheelchair- self propelling or transit? Can one get combined ones? What sort of price could I be paying for a lightweight transit which is easy to fold and carry onto trains? My husband would do that bit but he is getting on in years so I want something easy and very light but strong. He is not very practical when it comes to putting equipment together. 

janer1967

Hi again 

Core co is who I got my chair from I don't know if they are imported but what I meant was don't order from company based outside UK 

My chair is very light but strong it is a self propel I don't know what a transit chair is sorry 

It came fully assembled so nothing to have to put together 

I didn't complain about wheelchair services I think its just a losing battle . They have criteria they have to stick to about size of chair and stuff and there is no flexibility 

As for your other points in my area the service is still operated by NHS 

RosieBrock

Transit is one that is pushed by someone else and has brakes on handles and can't be self propelled. I will complain about wheelchair services from Millbrook - certainly the way I was treated was intolerable.  I would battle on behalf of others too. You can't be and I won't be treated that way. 

L_Volunteer

Hi @RosieBrock

Thanks for your response. I am sorry to hear you feel you were treated unkindly. You are right, you don't deserve to be treated that way, and neither does anyone else. Well done for recognising that you deserve to be treated better! 

Danielle_2022

Hiya @RosieBrock,
I hope that the advice given above will help you along the way to getting a wheelchair. I'm so sorry that you have had this experience with the NHS services, though it's unfortunately a familiar story. I have had my current chair for so long that it's a struggle to find new parts etc. when it needs a service, but it still works, so I won't be given a new one until absolutely necessary . It hurts my heart to see that it's been such a fight up to now, but you do have other options and I'm sure you'll get there in the end. You deserve the freedom that is associated with using a wheelchair when you need one -- and you certainly don't need to prove that to anybody else!

Best of luck