Wheelchairs & Seating

What We Do More Information Gallery Downloads How to Refer FAQs Repairs Contact

The role of the Wheelchair & Seating Service (WSS) is to satisfy, on an ongoing basis, the needs of people requiring wheeled mobility by providing wheelchairs (manual and powered), children’s buggies and any seating requirements for those who cannot sit comfortably, safely and/or appropriately within standard wheelchair seats.

We operate across areas covered by NHS Lothian, NHS Fife and NHS Borders and provide both a paediatric (children’s) and an adult pathway. Most children will transition to the adult pathway when they reach 18 years of age.

Provision may be direct following a referral from a health or social care professional or after a clinical assessment by one of the service’s therapists or clinical scientists. We endeavour to provide a wheelchair solution to meet your needs, repair and maintain the wheelchair, and review provision when appropriate.

What We Do

Your Appointment

If you are required to attend an appointment, a letter will be posted out to you. If you are unable to attend, please contact us to rearrange.

The WSS is based at the SMART Centre at Astley Ainslie Hospital. For more information about the centre and how to get here, see About Us.

You will be seen by one or more of our team members – consisting of Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Therapy Assistant Practitioners, Clinical Scientists and Rehabilitation Engineers – depending on your needs.

Feedback on your experience can be provided using the Feedback Form. Feedback cards are also available from the SMART Centre reception – ask a member of staff for details.

More Information

Use in Transport

The wheelchairs and buggies we supply are for the purposes of wheeled mobility and not as alternatives to seats in a vehicle. For the safety of users, we recommend they transfer to a vehicle seat. If this is not possible, the instructions provided with their wheelchair should be followed. The vehicle owner and operator are responsible for the safety of those in their vehicle and must have a risk assessed wheelchair tie-down and occupant restraint system or containment method.

Demonstration Videos

Gallery

Action 3 Manual Wheelchair

Q200 Powerchair

Vanos Buggy

Wheelchair Clinic

Downloads

How to Refer

The initial referral to the WSS must come from a registered health or social care professional involved in your care e.g. GP, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, nurse, health visitor etc. Professionals should review our eligibility criteria and complete and return a referral form. A video tutorial on completing the form can be found below.

Referral Forms

Manual Wheelchair Referral Form
Powerchair Referral Form

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria – Attendant Manual
Eligibility Criteria – Occupant Manual
Eligibility Criteria – Children’s Buggies
Eligibility Criteria – Energy Efficient Manual
Eligibility Criteria – Second Wheelchair
Eligibility Criteria – Powerchair for Use Indoors
Eligibility Criteria – Powerchair for Use Indoors and Outdoors
Eligibility Criteria – Powerchair Dual Control
Eligibility Criteria – Powerchair Attendant Control
Eligibility Criteria – Tilt and Recline

Video Tutorial

FAQs

What sort of equipment is available?

The types of equipment we can offer are:

Buggies – usually for young children who are unable to walk. Buggies are usually provided for children aged 3 and over. For children with postural support needs, there are a number of models available which can provide different amounts of support.

Wheelchairs – can be self-propelled or attendant-propelled and are available in a wide range of sizes. . Some are available with running brakes to assist carers. Energy-efficient wheelchairs – for users who propel themselves for a significant part of the day and who can control the stability of the wheelchair, these wheelchairs offer a more efficient means of mobility than the standard wheelchair.

Electrically powered wheelchairs – available in both indoor-only and indoor/outdoor models for users who are unable to propel themselves and unable to walk who can safely control a powered chair. Assessment for this type of equipment will usually involve a test of driving ability. Copies of nationally-agreed eligibility guidelines are available from the clinical staff.

Wheelchair seating systems – these are provided for users or need extra postural support in their wheelchair. There are a number of different types and you will be assessed to find the best one to suit your needs.

Should I have been given a cushion?

Cushions are usually supplied with self propelling wheelchairs but generally not with attendant propelled wheelchairs – if you are uncomfortable in your wheelchair and feel a cushion may help, please contact the service (telephone 0131 537 9177 (select option 1).

Special ‘pressure relieving’ cushions can be supplied where there is a specific need. Often it is useful to discuss this with your district nurse, GP, occupational therapist or physiotherapist in the first instance. Pressure relieving cushions can only give you a little longer safe sitting time; the only way to prevent pressure sores is to have frequent changes of position throughout the day.

Do I need a lap belt?

Most people don’t need to use a lap belt although some wheelchairs have them fitted as standard. They can help if you find that you are sliding forward in the chair or if you feel nervous when being pushed. This should be adjusted so that it fits snugly. Belts fitted to a wheelchair are not sufficient to protect you whilst travelling in a vehicle and a seat belt should always be worn if one is available.

Can I have a tray?

Trays can be provided for most wheelchairs. If you propel the wheelchair yourself, a tray will let you carry objects. It can also provide a useful surface at mealtimes and for other activities. You can contact the service directly to request one.

What if my wheelchair does not suit me?

Contact the service and tell us what you feel the problem is. A clinical member of staff will review your request and records and decide on an appropriate course of action. If it is best that you are assessed, you will be contacted by telephone or letter.

What do I need to do to look after my wheelchair?

It is important to clean and maintain your wheelchair in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations in the user manual provided with your wheelchair. It is part of the service’s Conditions of Supply that you wheelchair, including all accessories, are ‘kept clean and in good running order’.

Can I have a raincover with my child’s buggy?

Most buggies do not come with a raincover as standard. These can usually be purchased privately or through a children’s charity. Please note that if the buggy you have came with a free raincover then the service will not be able to replace this if lost or damaged. A raincover will only be supplied by the service if there is a medical reason.

Can the wheelchair or buggy be used in transport?

Most wheelchairs and buggies provided are crash tested but check at the assessment if there is a requirement for this. The crash testing for wheelchairs and buggies is very limited and only be for standard set ups. Most modifications and accessories are not crash tested. Transport providers are responsible for ensuring your safety in their vehicle. They should have a documented risk assessment for this. We recommend that you do not travel in a wheelchair or buggy unless it is absolutely necessary, but recongnise that this is not always possible and endeavours to ensure that whenever possible the equipment we supply is crash tested.

Do you provide the headrest for school transport purposes?

No. The transport provider is responsible for providing safety equipment such as headrests, lapbelts and wheelchair tie-downs in their vehicles. We can only provide head supports for postural support reasons.

Read our general FAQs

Repairs

You or your representative can request a repair or review below if you are an existing service user. If you are not an existing user, see How to Refer.

Repair/Review Request Form

(* required fields)

Service User Name*

Service User Date of Birth*

Service User Phone*

Permission to leave a message on Home Landline and/or Mobile Phone (please tick):

Home LandlineMobile PhoneNo

If the person filling in this form is not the service user, provide your details:
Referrer Name and Relationship to Service User

Referrer Phone

Referrer Email

You will receive a confirmation email after clicking 'Submit'. Please provide the most appropriate email address for the confirmation (service user/referrer):
Confirmation Email*

Chair Type*ManualPowered

Details of the problem/review/repair required*

If requesting a repair, where should this be carried out? Please provide the address*

(Please note this form is only for repair or review requests for patients who have been supplied a wheelchair by the SMART Centre. It should not be used to request new assessments, collections or wheelchair information. Please contact the wheelchair & seating department by telephone for these and other requests.)

Repairs and Maintenance

The equipment provided is maintained and repaired free of charge by the service if used under normal circumstances and within the UK. The repair service will usually visit and repair wheelchair and/or accessories at users home or other suitable setting. If a complex repair is needed than it may be necessary to bring the equipment into our workshop to carry out the work or ask the user to attend the centre. The does its best to do this as quickly as possible. Users must ensure that their wheelchair and accessories are clean before we can undertake a repair.

Repair Priority

We prioritise repairs according to the Scottish Clinical Healthcare Quality Standards for Wheelchair & Seating Services as being urgent or routine. A repair is urgent when a wheelchair and/or seating is/are not safe to use and the user is fully dependent on it. Any other repair is routine. A repair that would normally be classified as urgent may be classified as routine when the user needs it only occasionally. An urgent repair may result in a follow up routine repair or provision, when a temporary repair or alternative device is provided that is safe to use.

Out of Hours

We are not able to provide an out of hours service. If you require an urgent repair when the service is closed you can arrange for a repair yourself. We will reimburse you up to a cost of £25 once you have provide us with a copy of the receipt and we have checked the repair.

If you are unable manage without your wheelchair and need additional support until your wheelchair is repaired, you should contact your local social care service.

Breakdown Rescue

We are not in a position to provide a breakdown and rescue service. We recommend users have contingency plans in place should their wheelchair become unusable when they are away from their home. Care providers should have plans in place. Alternatively users may wish to include this in their insurance cover.

Accidents (Adverse Incidents)

Any accident that occur with one of the service’s wheelchairs or children’s buggies should be reported so that the service can record and followed up if necessary. This helps us to improve safety for everyone.

Contact

The service can be contacted via telephone 0131 537 9177 (select option 1) between 8.30am and 4pm, Monday to Friday, excluding NHS public holidays.