Transforming community equipment and wheelchair services

Care Services Efficiency Delivery Programme (CSED)

This ongoing programme was launched on the back of 'Out and About'. This was a report published in 2006 that looked at how wheelchair services should best serve wheelchair users.

The four main recommendations of 'Out and About' were:

1. Whole systems working and joint commissioning

Strategic Health Authories should link reviews of local wheelchair services with local authority plans to ensure the development of shared standards and common eligibility criteria across conditions and across a geographical area.

2. Responsive, person-centred services

that provide greater engagement with wheelchair users and their carers; extend voucher schemes to cover manual and powered chairs; partnership working with voluntary and independent sector providers to encourage innovation and support people who do not quality for state help; moving from blanket eligbility policies to policies based on need and risk.

3. Access to assessment and information

Wheelchair services should provide self-referral systems; ensure that assessment is proportionate to need, with rapid referral to regional services and specialist advice for the most complex seating and postural management; improve access to information about all suitable products, and signposting to alternative funding.

4. Co-ordinated assessment and provision

Assessment to include whole-life needs (education, work, leisure and aspirations) using goal-oriented independence plans, with primary consideration given to the needs and wishes of the individual.

See the current status of the programme on the Care Services Efficiency Delivery Programme website.