§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many disabled persons were provided with powered wheelchairs by the Wheelchair Service in each of the past five years; and how many such applications were turned down in the same period of time;
(2) how many wheelchairs have been distributed to disabled people in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what is the expected life of a wheelchair issued by the Wheelchair Service; and after what interval a user may seek a replacement.
§ Mr. StewartThe information is not held centrally.
On average 5,500 new wheelchairs, both manual and powered, are purchased annually for NHS patients, but wheelchairs can be issued and re-issued on more than one 295W occasion in the course of a year if returned as being no longer required. There is no stipulated period for replacement of a wheelchair since this will depend on usage, the condition of the chair and whether repair is possible. It is for the staff in wheelchair centres to decide when a replacement chair would be appropriate.