Wheelchairs

Our wheelchair service is available to people of all ages with a permanent disability, which affects their ability to walk.

A wheelchair must be required at least four times per week on a long term basis (minimum of 6 months). In addition, all of our patients must meet the criteria set by our local commissioner.

Referrals are accepted by our team from accredited therapists. When you become of of our service users, you can self-refer for future reviews if your mobility needs change.

Hospital or community accredited therapists can assess you and then order equipment directly from the Wheelchair Service or you might be referred for an assessment by a member of our specialist team.

During your assessment we consider factors, such as whether you need to use your wheelchair indoors or outdoors, how comfortable it is, how often you need to use it, your physical capability, how much it costs to maintain and whether you're going to be pushing it yourself or be pushed by someone else.

We can talk to you about a personal wheelchair budget, a scheme run by NHS England to help support your choices. We also supply special seating equipment and pressure relieving cushions to people, all designed to improve comfort if you have to sit for long periods of time.

You can contact us on 01392 547400 or email rde-tr.EMCWheelchairs@nhs.net

Exeter Mobility Centre, Hennock Road East, Matford, Exeter EX2 8RU

Open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm

Clinics and visits are also held at a number of other facilities

We provide services in a range of settings, including our new centre. The centre has improved clinic room facilities, such as a ceiling track hoist.

We also work with our users in specialist schools, community hospitals and at home, if necessary.

Our in house wheelchair team is made up of rehabilitation engineers, wheelchair therapists (occupational therapists or physiotherapists with specialist knowledge of wheelchairs) a dedicated administration team and a wheelchair technician.

In addition, a service is provided for the repair and maintenance of wheelchairs. This team consists of mobile engineers, workshop technicians, administrative and warehouse staff.

Nationally all Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in England have been developing local Personal Wheelchair Budget offers to replace the current wheelchair voucher system.

Across the whole of Devon, people who are eligible for a wheelchair are now being offered a Personal Wheelchair Budget. A Personal Wheelchair Budget is a resource available to support people’s choice of wheelchair, either within or outside of NHS commissioned services.

Personal Wheelchair Budgets aim to increase choice and control for people who access wheelchair services through:

• Providing holistic assessments that take into account people’s wider needs and how good wheelchair provision can increase independence and improve people’s health and wellbeing outcomes.
• Supporting people to identify their own health and wellbeing goals.
• Better integration of services around individuals by bringing together care and support agencies.
• Increasing the availability of information about the choices available to people locally.

Personal wheelchair budgets aim to help people access a wheelchair that meets their health and wellbeing needs and goals, as well as any specific wheelchair requirements that they have.

Replacing the current wheelchair voucher scheme with Personal Wheelchair Budgets is intended to provide:

• A more robust framework for person centred care and support planning.
• More control to people, their carers and families over the wheelchair provided.
• Greater clarity for wheelchair users about choices available including funding and what that should include.
• An opportunity to explore how the provision of wheelchairs can be joined with other care and support, as part of a holistic person centred care and support plan and integrated personal budgets that combine health and social care funding.

More information about Personal Wheelchair Budgets is available below and further information will be available when you attend your appointments for assessment and review.

Accreditation for referrers: We run annual accreditation courses for therapists. It is recommended that update courses are attended every three years.

Please contact us to book a place on the course. If you are already an accredited referrer, please use our referral forms.