Personal Wheelchair Budgets
Personal Wheelchair Budgets are designed to provide wheelchair users with greater choice regarding their wheelchair provision.
Individuals are supported to be really involved in the process, focusing upon what matters most to them about their wheelchair and having greater options available to them in deciding how best to meet their needs.
Wheelchair users will have three options:
- Notional Personal Wheelchair Budget (standard NHS provision)
This means the provision of a basic wheelchair which will meet a persons identified needs.
- Notional Personal Wheelchair Budget with contribution
This option allows a person or another agency (such as a voluntary or charitable organisation) to contribute their personal budget towards a higher specification NHS wheelchair or add additional features.
- Third Party Personal Wheelchair Budget
This allows a person to use their personal budget as a contribution to buying a wheelchair from an independent retailer outside of the NHS. This is only available if the wheelchair is deemed clinically appropriate following a discussion with a wheelchair therapist.
Our work on Personal Wheelchair Budgets has been recognised by NHS England and we were a national champion site for 2018/19, supporting other areas to develop their own plans.
More information on Personal Wheelchair Budgets can be found at www.england.nhs.uk/personal-health-budgets/personal-wheelchair-budgets.
In 2019, our Lead Commissioner for Equipment and Wheelchairs Sally Smith wrote a blog for NHS England about how we’ve put personalised care front and centre of our wheelchair services. Click here to read it.
The CCG's personal wheelchair budget service was also shortlisted for a prestigious national healthcare award – The Health Service Journal’s (HSJ) Health and Local Government Partnership Award. Click here to read more.