Physical Disability Council

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Stephen Nirta

I am writing with regards to the process of my request for repairs to my electric wheelchair.

I rely totally on my wheelchair for mobility and within my work environment.

I was somewhat disappointed when the person sent to assess my wheelchair problem informed that he would need to arrange a suitable time and day for it to be picked up and delivered to the workshop for repairs .

Furthermore, when I asked how long my wheelchair would be in the workshop to be informed that it could be anything from half day and up to 3 days depending on the work requires and at no time was it suggested by the person doing the assessment that I might require a loan wheelchair until I brought this issue to his attention as this would mean that I could be confined to my bed for up to 3 days until the return of my wheelchair.    

I was then informed that I would be notified by an occupational therapist to organize a loan wheelchair.

I felt that the person who conducted the initial assessment showed a grave lack of common sense, understanding the basic needs of the client, showed a lack of concern with regards to the possibility of me being bedridden for a long period of time and no compassion which prompted me make a phone call the following morning to request that my wheelchair repairs be carried out by Home Health as they have carried out maintenance on my wheelchair in the past prior to the current maintenance system, in a professional and dignified manner.

Andrew from Home Health then rang within the hour to arrange a suitable time to assess the work required.  He was able to assess and repair the problem within a short timeframe as he had the equipment to do the repairs which in my opinion should have been done by the person who was sent to assess the problem in the first place.

I am now compelled to request that I be sent a copy with a full breakdown of the total costing for the work done to my wheelchair including the costing of the initial assessment.

Based on the suggestion of the person who made initial assessment, my understanding is that first, there would be a fee charged for his assessment.  Should his recommendations have been implemented, these would have been fees charged for:

• 1:- The fee charged for his assessment
• 2:- An Occupational Therapist to consult with me re my requirements in the    type of wheelchair replacement
• 3:- The sourcing of suitable wheelchair replacement
• 4:- The delivery of the loan wheelchair
• 5:- The pick-up of my wheelchair to go to workshop for repair
• 6:- The repairs done to my wheelchair
• 7:- The return of my wheelchair
• 8:-The pick-up of loan wheelchair.

It is obvious that should the current system continue that the limited funding for maintenance to equipment that there is going to be a major shortfall due to the overkill of the way assessments are carried out and there needs to be protocols put in place to minimize the time that people are without necessary equipment. 

For a professional organization it would appear that there is a grave lack of understanding of the individual requirements and basic needs of people with disabilities. I find it ludicrous that the majority of so called “service professionals” should have an attitude that “one size fits all” and are not prepared to listen to what the client believes to be best suited to their needs. 

It would certainly be of great benefit to all if professionals who make assessments (Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Physicians, and equipment maintenance people) within the disability sector do a training seminar with the main speakers being people with disabilities with the emphasis being on the importance of listening to what they believe to be the basics of dignity and their human rights being met.