Investment to reduce wheelchair waiting times announced

More than £2million additional Welsh Assembly Government funding will be invested in reducing waiting times for wheelchair services, particularly for children and young people, Health Minister Edwina Hart has announced.

The funding, from April, will be used primarily to double the number of clinical staff across Wales to assess individuals to enable them to have the most appropriate wheelchair to suit their need. The funding will also support better waiting list management, which will result in an improved service for both adults and children who require wheelchairs. It will support more training for health professionals and for patients and their carers

The demand to loan wheelchairs for short periods is increasing between five and 10 per cent every year. Some of the funding will therefore be provided to the British Red Cross for them to pilot ways of more effective working with Health Boards to make it easier to access wheelchairs for those individuals who need them for a short period.

The funding will also help to ensure that palliative care patients who need wheelchairs receive a better service and Professor Ilora Finlay is providing advice on this matter.

Wheelchair services are provided by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board for patients in North Wales and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board for patients in South Wales.

The new funding follows on from the recommendations made in the second phase of an Assembly Government-commissioned review of wheelchair services across Wales.

Mrs Hart said: "It is important the people requiring wheelchairs have swift access to an assessment and delivery of a permanent wheelchair to enable them to remain independent and maintain their quality of life. We are maintaining our investment in the health service in cash terms over the next three years. This funding for wheelchair services is an example of our continued commitment to investing in frontline services. This will make a real difference to individuals and their families.”