An Impartial Guide to Buying a Wheelchair

This guide is designed to help you find your way through the potentially daunting task of choosing and buying a wheelchair, helping you focus on your particular requirements.

The Wheelchair

First consider the following:

• Do I need a wheelchair all the time or only occasionally?
• Do I need a wheelchair for indoor or outdoor use or both?
• Have I considered the design and arrangement of my home with a view to using a wheelchair?
• Do I plan to propel myself?
• Do I need to put the wheelchair in and out of the car?
• Do I want to use the wheelchair on rough ground?
• Will I need to be transported in the wheelchair ie on a minibus?
• Is the appearance of the wheel chair important to me?
• Do I need a cushion? Do I need more advice on the correct cushion for me?
• Do I need any special features, eg quick release wheels?
• Do I need any special accessories, eg tray, rain cover?
• What is my budget?

You should now be able to identify both your 'must have' and your 'nice to have' requirements and thus determine the broad specification of your wheelchair. You can now spend time considering the various makes and models available. A reputable supplier should carry out an assessment of your physical and practical needs and allow you sufficient time with the wheelchair to ensure that it suits you.

A wheelchair is a Class 1 medical device, so never buy on-line or from a catalogue without an assessment or without trying it properly.

The following checklist will help ensure that your chosen wheelchair meets your needs.

• Will the chair be comfortable for the length of time I shall need to sit in it?
• Can I reach the brakes easily?
• If necessary, can I reach the self-propelling wheels easily?
• Are the footrests and armrests positioned comfortably?
• Does it accommodate my cushion safely?
• Can I get out of it easily? Can I transfer to the bed, toilet, armchair or car?
• If using indoors, does it go through my narrowest doorway?
• Is it comfortable for my carers or friend's to push?
• How does it feel on outside routes that I intend to cover?
• Will it go into the shops or other buildings I wish or need to visit?
• Will it go into the car? Can I disassemble and load it independently? Can my carer and friends do it easily?
• Will it be suitable for the distances I need to cover?
• Will any initial difficulties be overcome with practice? For example, managing kerbs or slopes may become easier once confidence is gained but it is unlikely that an uncomfortable armrest will improve with use.
• If necessary, is the wheelchair safe to be transported whilst I occupy it?

Suppliers

When buying a wheelchair, you need a supplier who can give you both honest and helpful pre-sales advice and information and efficient after sales service. The majority of these will belong to The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA). This association expects their members to conform to a high level of service, so it should be a guide to reliability. It is also reassuring to know that if difficulties arise, you have recourse through the Association, who will assist in cases of dispute.

Choosing a supplier who is a member of the BHTA ensures:

• Compliance with all relevant legislation relating to advertising and marketing, the sale of goods, relevant European Directives / Regulations, consumer rights, disability rights, and data protection.
• Where selling products, they will ensure that they are of merchantable quality and fit for purpose. Their selling techniques will be ethical and they will deliver high standards of service.
• Any claims made by the company and its employees will be honest and truthful, and will not give rise to false expectations. Information, claims and comparisons must be accurate, balanced, fair, objective and unambiguous. They must not mislead either directly or by implication.
• They will act at all times in such a manner as to justify public trust and confidence; to uphold the good standing and reputation of the healthcare industry; to serve the best interests of society, and above all, to safeguard the interests of individual customers. They will respect the confidentiality of information obtained and not disclose such information without the consent of the customer concerned or a person entitled to act on their behalf, except where such disclosure is required bylaw.
• Products and services will only be supplied where they fulfil a genuine need.
• All communications, verbal and written, will be made in plain language.
• At all times, the vulnerable nature of the customer will be respected.
• A copy of this Code will be given to anyone who requests it and, where complaints cannot be resolved direct with the company, complainants will be made aware of their right to arbitration in accordance with this Code and how to initiate such proceedings.

When buying a wheelchair it is prudent to enquire about the availability of spare parts and check if the servicing arrangements are adequate.

Insurance

It is advisable to take out insurance against third party fire and theft. Check your house contents policy. There are some Insurance Companies who specialise in wheelchair cover.

Value Added Tax

As a registered disabled person you are VAT exempt thus, as the purchaser and owner of the wheelchair, you will not pay VAT.

(With acknowledgements to Redditch and Bromsgrove PCT and Worcester Wheelchair Service)