« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
chairman's remarks
NHS Wheelchair and Seating Services are easily overlooked in the wider context of the National Health Service ( NHS), and yet, for many, the equipment provided fundamentally affects their quality of life, capacity to carry out daily life tasks and opportunities to participate in family activities, education, work and play.
Failure to provide an effective service can have wide ranging implications, including postural deformities, pressure ulcers, contractures of the limbs, over-use syndrome in the hands, arms and shoulders, loss of self-esteem, developmental problems, social exclusion, lost opportunities and secondary injuries to carers.
Although the responsibility for delivering the service rests with NHSScotland, users have emphasised that this equipment should be provided to enable them to fully participate in society as well as to compensate for function they have lost. This forward-looking outlook focuses on social inclusion. These services are needed to provide safe mobility, a platform from which the user can function and the tools to achieve personal and family goals.
The petition that initiated this report highlighted serious shortcomings in the service. The independent report undertaken by Frontline Consultants provides ample evidence to support the concerns expressed by the petitioners. There is no doubt that this service has been neglected for decades, despite numerous reports commissioned by charities and government departments.
In preparing this report, and particularly in formulating its recommendations, every effort has been made to gather the opinions of people throughout Scotland with an interest in improving NHS Wheelchair and Seating Services. The consultation released an enormous passion for change, not only from users and carers but also from the dedicated professionals who, often in difficult circumstances, provide the best services they can with the limited resources they are given.
It has been a great privilege to contribute to the development of this report. I am sure that the commitment made by so many in developing our recommendations to the Minister for Health and Community Care will be redoubled to channel into their implementation.
Professor Martin Ferguson-Pell
Chair of Steering Group for Review of NHS Wheelchair and Seating Services in Scotland
ASPIRE Chair in Disability and Technology
University College London
« Previous | Contents | Next »