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Row over wheelchair funding plans | Row over wheelchair funding plans |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Managers of Scotland's wheelchair services have threatened to pull out of talks over its future unless there is a commitment for more funding. | Managers of Scotland's wheelchair services have threatened to pull out of talks over its future unless there is a commitment for more funding. |
A recent review of the NHS Wheelchair and Seating Service said funding for it should be doubled to £30m a year. | A recent review of the NHS Wheelchair and Seating Service said funding for it should be doubled to £30m a year. |
But the Scottish Executive has pledged only a one-off payment of £1m. | But the Scottish Executive has pledged only a one-off payment of £1m. |
BBC Scotland has learned the service has refused to commit to any further discussions with the executive unless there is a promise of extra resources. | BBC Scotland has learned the service has refused to commit to any further discussions with the executive unless there is a promise of extra resources. |
Services for Scotland's 96,000 wheelchair users have been under review since 1982. | Services for Scotland's 96,000 wheelchair users have been under review since 1982. |
Staff say the service has been under-funded for even longer. | Staff say the service has been under-funded for even longer. |
The latest review, commissioned last year by the executive, recommended a doubling of the budget. | The latest review, commissioned last year by the executive, recommended a doubling of the budget. |
Average budget | |
Managers claim this means they can only give out the most basic wheelchairs - which are so heavy and unwieldy that many people are left prisoners in their own homes. | Managers claim this means they can only give out the most basic wheelchairs - which are so heavy and unwieldy that many people are left prisoners in their own homes. |
Dr Geoff Bardsley, the head of Tayside's Seating & Wheelchair Service, said the basic wheelchair cost £120 but some of the more complicated powered chairs could cost more than £5,000. | |
He has an average budget of £166 per person. | |
The manager of wheelchair services based in Inverness, Andy Menzies, was not impressed by the extra £1m from the health minister. | |
He said: "An additional £1m will help a little. It is short-term. It is not going to be repeated. | |
"It is difficult to plan on that and in our particular case in Inverness it probably amounts to about £50,000." | |
In a letter to the executive, the manager who oversees the entire service describes it as one of the oldest fleets of chairs in Western Europe. | In a letter to the executive, the manager who oversees the entire service describes it as one of the oldest fleets of chairs in Western Europe. |