Community Equipment Service

Transcription

1 Ceredigion County Council Social Services Department Community Equipment Service...taking care to make a difference

2 Large Print or other format/medium are available on request please telephone or Minicom or Contact Centre Office Hours: Monday Thursday: 8.45 a.m p.m. Friday: 8.45 a.m p.m. You can find information about services provided by Ceredigion County Council on our website at: Printed January 2006

3 Community Equipment Service The Community Equipment Service has been set up to help you maintain your independence in your own home, by providing equipment to assist you with your daily living. The Community Equipment Stores is jointly funded by Ceredigion Social Services Department, Ceredigion and Mid Wales NHS Trust and Ceredigion Local Health Board. So that we make sure you get the right equipment, a health or social care worker will visit you to assess your needs. Due to health and safety reasons, we will not be able to issue any equipment until an assessment has been undertaken with you. If you need equipment to help with your nursing care needs, this is normally arranged by your District Nurse. This could include: u specialist nursing hospital type beds u pressure relieving mattresses and seat pads If you are having problems managing at home with the height of your bed, chair, toilet or bath, you will need to telephone our Contact Centre and ask for an assessment of your needs. (Please see Question 1. overleaf on how to do this). Following this assessment, equipment such as the following may be offered to help you: u Raised Toilet Seat u Toilet Frame u Chair & Bed Raisers u Grab rails Community Equipment Service 1

4 Commonly Asked Questions 1. How am I assessed? If you have been in hospital you will be assessed by the Hospital Occupational Therapy Department before you are discharged. If you are at home, one of the following professionals will assess your needs: u District/Community Nurse, attached to your local GP practice; u Social Services Department staff i.e. an Occupational Therapist; u Any other health or social care professional involved in your care. If you feel you could benefit from the use of any equipment from our Community Equipment Stores, but have not been referred for an assessment, please telephone the Social Services Contact Centre on: or Minicom number is: (the information they require is described in the How to access our Services Leaflet), or speak with the District Nurse at your GP practice. 2. How will I get the equipment? Your assessment will determine what equipment will be most helpful to you. An order will be sent to the Community Equipment Stores and the staff there will arrange delivery with you, normally within one working week. If the right equipment is not available, your worker will discuss other arrangements with you. 2 Community Equipment Service

5 If the equipment needs replacing, for any reason, please contact the Stores direct. If equipment is not the right solution for you, the assessor will discuss other options with you. There are a number of private companies who sell equipment through retail outlets, both nationally and locally. If you would like a catalogue, our Contact Centre will be able to give you telephone numbers, or in some circumstances, can send you the information direct. 3. How will I know how to use the equipment safely? The professional who assessed your needs will explain how to use the equipment and this will be reinforced by our Community Equipment Stores staff who will also leave written instructions with you. When the equipment is delivered, you will be asked to sign a form to say that you agree to follow the instructions on its use and care. Should you have any concerns about using the equipment, please contact the Stores directly. 4. Will I be charged for the equipment I need? Equipment can be provided free of charge for short term use or for long term loan to people who have a permanent disability or for those who suffer with a chronic illness. 5. What happens when I no longer need the equipment? If you have finished with the equipment, please telephone the Community Equipment Stores as soon as possible, to arrange for collection. Remember that someone else may need the equipment, so please do not delay in arranging collection. Community Equipment Service 3

6 We do try to move equipment as quickly as possible, but please note that deliveries do take priority over collections. The Community Equipment Stores telephone Number is: What if I need special equipment? If you need very specialised equipment, the Health Care professional working with you can assess and arrange for this, although this may take longer if it is ordered especially for you from the supplier. We do not provide ordinary beds, chairs, commodes or wheelchairs. Wheelchairs and Walking Frames If you find your mobility has deteriorated and you are having problems walking, we strongly advise you to consult your GP in the first instance. Your GP may wish to refer you to a Physiotherapist to assess your needs and to arrange a walking aid, if appropriate. Wheelchairs long term use: The loan of all types of wheelchairs comes from ALAC (Artificial Limb and Appliance Centres), see details on next page, but are assessed for, or arranged as follows: Manual and Powered Wheelchairs: Long term loan of a wheelchair can be arranged by your GP, District Nurse, Physiotherapist, or your Health or Social Services Occupational Therapist. 4 Community Equipment Service

7 Breakdowns and Repairs For breakdowns or repairs, or if a service is needed for your existing wheelchair, please telephone ALAC on: Wrexham Cardiff / Wheelchairs temporary use: Red Cross offer a short term loan service for both commodes and wheelchairs. Red Cross telephone numbers: Aberystwyth or Cardigan You can also borrow wheelchairs from the following Tourist Information offices: Aberystwyth Aberaeron Cardigan Ceredigion Shop Mobility provides a wheelchair and scooter loan service for shoppers in our main towns. Their telephone number is: Ceredigion County Council wholeheartedly supports the principle of equality and recognises the importance of fair access and actively promotes equality of opportunity for all service users and carers. Community Equipment Service 5

8 Advocacy Service We are in the process of developing Advocacy Services for Adult Services, and there is an Advocacy Service available for Children s Services. Where possible, we will arrange for someone to help you put your point across in your dealings with us if you are not able to do this yourself and don t have family or friends to help you. In relation to Adult Services, Eich Dewis Chi offers an Advocacy service for: u People who have Mental Health problems, u People who have a Learning Disability, u Older People with Mental Health problems and u Vulnerable Adults. In relation to Children s Services the NSPCC offers an Advocacy Service for: u Looked After Children; u Care Leavers; u Disabled Children and u Children in Need who wish to make a complaint. The NSPCC Freephone telephone number is: Information Sharing and Confidentiality Any information that you give us will be kept safe and confidential. We will not disclose your information to anyone not involved in your care without your consent (unless we are obliged to do so by law or there are exceptional circumstances, such as your safety and/or the safety of others). 6 Community Equipment Service

9 Representations/Complaints/Comments If you are unhappy about any of our services, or about the way you have been treated, you should initially discuss this with the Team Manager of the Team you have had contact with. We hope that the problem can be resolved at this stage. If however you are still unhappy, you can take the matter further by making a formal complaint. Ceredigion Social Services Department has a complaints procedure. If you think we have done something well, you can also tell us. For Social Services Department ask for Are we getting it right? Do you have any Comments, Complaints or Compliments? leaflet. Emergencies If you need urgent help outside the opening times of the Contact Centre (as stated on the inside cover of this leaflet), please contact our Out of Hours Emergency Team on: Other leaflets detailing the different services offered by Ceredigion Social Services are available on request from the Contact Centre. For further information please telephone: Community Equipment Service 7

10 Service Statement Ceredigion County Council Community Occupational Therapy and Sensory Support Services (COTSSS) will offer support to residents of Ceredigion in maximising their independence, security and well-being, wherever possible, within their own community. In doing this the COTSSS will seek to promote the cost effective use of the individual s own resources, those of the County Council and those of the wider community. Where appropriate, COTSSS will work with colleagues in other statutory, voluntary or independent sector organisations to achieve these outcomes. u Independence The ability of an individual adult to make decisions for him or herself in relation to personal, family or wider social issues. u Security The freedom of the individual adult from unlawful acts of abuse, harassment, discrimination or maltreatment. u Well-being Having equal access to the basic essentials of life, i.e. adequate housing, food, income, employment, Health and Social Services and leisure opportunities. 8 Community Equipment Service

11 We would welcome any comments you have with regard to the content and layout of this leaflet and/or the service you have received. Your views are important so that we can monitor and improve the quality as required. Please could you take time to complete the following: Name: Address: Tel. No: Date:.... Leaflet received from: My compliment or complaint: (Please continue on a separate page if you need to) Send this page to: Social Services Department HQ, Minaeron, Vicarage Hill, Aberaeron, SA46 0DY. Thank you for your comments Community Equipment Service 9 $

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