Welsh Conservatives will tomorrow call for urgent improvements to wheelchair services in Wales.
During an opposition debate the group will call for immediate efforts to tackle waiting times and the initial provision of wheelchairs, particularly for children.
The debate follows a 2010 Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee report, which warned of a series of problems that needed addressing. These included a lack of resources, problems with staff recruitment and training, a fragmented service structure and the need for closer joint working.
The Wales Neurological Alliance is concerned by the Welsh Government’s lack of progress in implementing the 23 recommendations.
While a recurrent resource of approximately two million pounds from 2011/12 has been invested to support improvements, the All Wales Posture and Mobility Service has also said meeting targets by March 2012 will be ‘challenging’.
The children’s National Service Framework states that a child should be assessed for a wheelchair within six weeks of referral and a wheelchair provided within 8 weeks of assessment. In May 2010, the Health Committee found evidence that some children had been waiting up to 24 months for an assessment.
Shadow Minister for Health, Darren Millar AM, said:
“After repeated delays in accessing these services and achieving results, wheelchair users now deserve action and support.
“The Welsh Labour Government’s approach has been fragmented and slow, hampering any significant progress.
“Extremely troubling examples highlighted by the Wales Neurological Alliance include a man who waited almost 20 months for a powered wheelchair, only to have to send it back. While a replacement arrived, he was still waiting to see an occupational therapist to confirm its suitability when he was last spoken to.
“Another involves an 11 year old boy with Spina Bifida who waited ten months to receive an appropriate wheelchair.
“This is simply not good enough and service users deserve far better.
“Key stakeholders are clearly concerned that after two years many of the Health Committee’s recommendations have not been implemented. It’s now critical that this drift is halted and advancements are made.
“In July 2010 the health minister promised an update in the Assembly. It never came. An assurance was made that a letter would be sent to Assembly Members on how the NHS had taken recommendations forward. It was never delivered. That failure must now be reversed.”
Mr Millar, who will lead Wednesday’s debate, also renewed his support for the MS Society Cymru’s Direct Payments campaign. He said:
“In England, wheelchair users can be given a voucher of equal value which they can take to an accredited supplier to purchase a wheelchair that meets their needs.
“The same should happen in Wales. Using a direct payment, patients should be able to buy specialist wheelchairs from the private sector, with the option to use their own money for top-ups.”
