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Row over wheelchair funding plans | Row over wheelchair funding plans |
(about 1 hour 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. |
Deputy health minister Lewis Macdonald said the importance of short-term funding to assist with immediate problems should not be underestimated. | |
Under review | |
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. |
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. |
An additional £1m will help a little. It is short-term. It is not going to be repeated Andy MenziesInverness wheelchair services | |
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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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." | "It is difficult to plan on that and in our particular case in Inverness it probably amounts to about £50,000." |
Marie Parks, from Dumbarton, said her son Noah, who has cerebral palsy, applied for a new wheelchair in May last year. | |
"It was round about summer when he got his proper assessment. The wheelchair still was not reasy by December and eventually I ended up going up to the west of Scotland wheelchair service myself to say 'I'm taking it away. | |
"Actually when the wheelchair came he had already outgrown a part of it. Noah was almost falling out of the chair it was so small for him." | |
Immediate problems | |
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. |
The deputy health minister defendedthe £1m interim funding. | |
Mr Macdonald said: "Don't underestimate the importance of making the interventions that allow the immediate problems to be addressed. | |
"That's what we have done so that we can get to the point of the spending review where we are operating on the basis of a funded service that is delivering for patients' needs as quickly as we can. | |
"I'm not pretending that is a substitute for long-term arrangement. I am saying it is important to recognise that short-term intervention makes a real difference." |