Salford Wheelchair Service is a community-based service made up of Wheelchair Therapists, Community Assessment Officers and Wheelchair Technicians.
You can access our service if you:
- have permanent mobility difficulties, both indoors and outdoors.
- are either a permanent resident of Salford or registered with a Salford GP.
- require a wheelchair for longer than six months or have palliative needs.
We offer assessment and provision of a wheelchair or wheelchair equipment that will meet your needs for mobility, within the limits of our NHS provision criteria. We aim to provide a holistic assessment which will consider your lifestyle as well as your postural and pressure care needs.
We work within the National Personal Wheelchair Budget Framework. This means that following your assessment we will identify a wheelchair to meet your needs and the cost to the NHS for that chair. This amount is your Personal Wheelchair Budget Value.
You then have three options:
- we provide you with a wheelchair.
- provide you with a wheelchair. You can then pay a top up to purchase additional desirable features that are not considered clinically essential.
- or, if you prefer, you can use your Personal Wheelchair Budget Value to buy a wheelchair from a wheelchair retailer. If your chosen wheelchair cost more than the agreed value of your Budget, you will need to pay this yourself
If you choose to buy a wheelchair from elsewhere using your Personal Wheelchair Budget, you will need to maintain this wheelchair yourself.
Our provision does not include:
- Powered outdoor only wheelchairs.
- Mobility Scooters.
- Equipment specifically for work, education or sporting requirements.
- Standard transit wheelchairs for residents in Residential or Nursing Homes.
- Children’s car seats.
- Wheelchairs for short term periods; less than 6 months use.
- Wheelchairs where wheelchair provision has contra-indications to the client’s medical condition or safety.
What to expect after making a referral:
When we have received your referral a Duty Officer will call you back to discuss the referral in more detail.
Following this telephone assessment, a wheelchair or wheelchair equipment may be sent out to you. If your needs are more complex, arrangements will be made for a face-to-face assessment.
We prefer to complete assessments in one of our clinics, and are sometimes able to issue you a wheelchair or wheelchair equipment at this appointment. If an appropriate wheelchair or wheelchair equipment from our stock cannot be issued to at the time of your assessment it will be ordered and handed over to you as soon as we are able.
In some cases, such as when the assessment is for a powered wheelchair or if you cannot come into the clinic, it is more appropriate to complete the assessment in your environment. If this is the case we will let you know by letter and an appointment will be arranged with you once you reach the top of our waiting list.
Please bring with you to the appointment:
- Any wheelchair that you may have already been provided with.
- Any accessories for the wheelchair; including footplates, cushions arm and headrests.
- If you are hoisted please bring your sling with you.
Once we have issued you with a wheelchair or wheelchair equipment, we will repair it for you when you need us to. You can refer yourself back to the service whenever your needs change.
Wheelchair Repair Service
Salford Wheelchair Service provides an in-house repair service for both Manual and Powered Wheelchairs that have been issued to you by our service.
We offer a repair clinic for manual wheelchairs and buggies in need of repair. Appointments can be be booked via Equipment Services by calling 0161 206 7016. The clinic is run Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1 – 3 pm.
Powered Wheelchair repairs should also be reported by telephone to Equipment Services on 0161 206 7016. A Wheelchair Technician will then contact the Wheelchair user to arrange the repair. Salford Wheelchairs do not offer a breakdown service or an out of hours service.
Lost or stolen wheelchairs must be reported as soon as possible to the Wheelchair Service via the Adult Social Care Contact Centre on 0161 206 0604, providing a police reference number where appropriate.
To make a referral:
Anyone can make a referral to request a wheelchair assessment. You can:
- phone the Adult Social Care Centre on 0161 206 0604 or
- Email salford.socialservices@nca.nhs.uk or
- Use the online referral portal at www.adultsportal/salford.gov.uk
When making a referral we need to know what the wheelchair is required for. It is also helpful to know your height, weight and diagnosis as this may help us deal more quickly with your request.
There is no age restriction to access the service, however wheelchairs or buggies will not be provided for babies and very young children when their posture and mobility needs can be met by commercially available buggies.