Description
Over the past 20 years, there have been important changes to the provision of wheelchairs in the United Kingdom, with the development of specialised wheelchair centres providing dedicated staff and services.
Newer developments in wheelchair design include lighter frames made of composite and aircraft’ materials, punctureproof wheels, and airflow cushion systems for pressure relief. Although there is still no regulatory body or statutory national standards to ensure equal service provision across the UK, changes to legislation are in progress.
Several government initiatives (for example the voucher scheme) have helped to improve services, giving the user a wider range of choice and making the wheelchair a more fashionable and ‘user friendly’ item.
