Wheelchair review

I'm not sure if I mentioned our latest fight with the NHS...

Laura's wheelchair is getting too small. She's only had it a year and it cost about £1200 courtesy of the Wheelchair services at the hospital. It only just fitted her to start with as really they should have ordered the next size and because it took so long to arrive from the US, she had almost outgrown it. So a year later it is definitely getting too small and more importantly she is almost at the upper limit for safe transportation in the chair.

So in my naivety I wrote the wheelchair services centre to ask for a review. Wait a month and no reply, so I ring them and am told they hadn't received my letter (this happens all the time in the NHS, mmmm) but take my details over the phone and say they will be in touch regarding an appointment. A few days later I get a letter from them saying the wait is 26 weeks, yes 26 weeks, and they will let me know when I can contact them again to make an appointment - how kind of them!

So I decide to write back, sending it by Recorded Delivery and tell them this is totally unacceptable and if I don't get an earlier appointment I will be making a "formal complaint" and write to my MP. Both of these "threats" usually make things happen PDQ in the NHS. Formal complaints (and I have made a few of them) fill them with fear as they are very formal and get all sorts of highly qualified service managers out of their offices!!

Anyway, I was out to lunch with the SN mums today and got home to a message from the Lead manager from Wheelchair services. I call her back and she apologises profusely for the letter and the poor service they offered me and she asked if I would be able to make an available appointment (that they have just found, mmmm) on 4th July where she will see us personally and where a rep from the buggy suppliers will be there with the next size buggy!!!

So miraculously, 26 weeks' wait suddenly becomes 3 weeks' wait just because of my letter, mmmmm.

Works every time!!