The NHS Wheelchair Services is run contractually by Millbrook Healthcare here in Kent and Medway. The NHS Wheelchair Voucher system is approved by the Department of Health to increase the choice available to those who have a permanent requirement for a wheelchair or powerchair.
This means if you are deemed to be eligible for provision following an assessment by Millbrook Healthcare you will be given a choice of how to proceed. You can accept the chair or powerchair being offered by Millbrook, which will meet your clinical needs. Or, you can convert the cost of that equipment into a voucher to put towards a wheelchair or powerchair of a higher specification.
The voucher has no cash value and there are restrictions on which specialist mobility companies can prescribe these wheelchairs. Here at Cinque Ports we are very proud to be included on this list of approved NHS wheelchair suppliers in Kent.
Once you notify Millbrook of your intention to proceed on the voucher route the process looks a little like this:
1) Get in touch with us by phone on 01303 850760 or via Facebook Messsenger
2) We'll discuss your options further before arranging an assessment of your requirements. This will be similar to the one you had at Millbrook but while doing this process we can rule in, and rule out, different products based on your preferences
3) Following the assessment we will make one or multiple recommendations to you, including quotations for the products identified as meeting your clinical, social and aspirational requirements
4) Should you want to accept a quotation we are required to submit the information to Millbrook for them to approve our assessment. Once approved your voucher will be posted or emailed out to you. When you receive this notify us so that we can send the build requirements off to the manufacturers
5) When your wheelchair or powerchair is built we will arrange a suitable time to handover. Once the handover is completed we will finalise the documents for Millbrook. All we require is the hard copy of your voucher and this amount will be subtracted from your final invoice
To begin the process of obtaining a voucher please visit your GP or speak to your therapist who should be able to refer you to Millbrook Healthcare for assessment. If you are experiencing any difficulty with this process please give us a ring and we'll do our best to help.
For answers to many commonly asked questions about the NHS Wheeelchair voucher system in Kent please take a look at this Kent Community Health Guide for Patients