Information
Accessing equipment and adaptations easily
The Occupational Therapy Service
started working closely with the County
Duty Service in June 2007. They wanted
to develop a way of making it quick and easy for people to get the equipment
and adaptations that they need.
They wanted to give people the opportunity,
the first time they make contact with
Social Services, to have the choice
about whether to have those services
arranged for them straight away, without
the need to speak to another person, or
to have to wait for an assessment at
home.
They have already launched the self
assessment website, and wanted the
same opportunities to be made available
to everyone contacting social services,
for people to be able to self assess and
decide what they need, by speaking to a
trained professional over the telephone.
They have carried out a service user
evaluation study to see what people’s
experience of fast track assessment has
been and are using the results of this to
shape out how the service will be developed
in the future.
Who is the service for? People who have difficulty with day to day activities like:
Getting in and out of bed
Getting on and off a chair or toilet
Going up and down stairs or a step
in and out of the house
Carrying things from room to room
Standing to prepare food, or standing
at the bathroom sink
Anyone who might benefit from straight forward equipment or minor adaptations can use this service.
What sort of items does it include Items available through fast track assessment include:
Chair and bed raising equipment
Raised toilet seats and frames
Grab rails and stair rails
Kitchen trolley
Perching stools
What if there are more complex needs? They still offer a home assessment service for people who wish to discuss their needs in more depth, or need more specialist equipment or housing adaptations. How to contact the County Duty Service to make a referral:
Telephone: 0845 8 247 100
Fax: 01233 652261
Online self assessment:
http://www.kent.gov.uk/selfassessment
Email: social.services@kent.gov.uk
Write: County Duty Service
Kroner House
Eurogate Business Park
Ashford
TN24 8XU
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Gripe Corner!
OK firstly, as mentioned during our last
committee meeting, why does it take
KCC at Maidstone so long to send out
forms for renewal of Blue Badge
Scheme. I don't understand why it
takes two weeks to put a form in an
envelope and post it, even if they get
several requests in a day. Every company
has to deal with outgoing post on
a daily basis and I cannot believe that
business would get anywhere if outgoing
mail was delayed in that fashion.
Does anyone else agree with me?
Nearly all companies have a member
of staff whose job it is to deal with incoming
and outgoing mail. Usually the
Receptionist for instance, in smaller
companies or they have a mail room
in larger organisations such as
Pfizer's. Also, why does it have to take
up to six weeks for them to approve
and post out new Badge? Why, Why ??
Now for my second moan. I realised
whilst getting my photo's done in one of
those booths usually located at Sainsbury's,
Tesco's, Asda etc., that from the
point of view of someone who is unable
to get out of a wheelchair that it is virtually
impossible to manage it. Why in
this day and age can they not be redesigned
in some way so that wheelchair
users have the same access.
Does this mean that wheelchair
users have to go to a photographer and
if so is it more expensive than the £4
charged in the booth. I know that it
strictly doesn't have to be a passport
photo as long as it is a clear photo
which has been cut to size for the
Blue Badge Scheme but this would not
be permitted if the photo was for a
passport would it?
I would be interested to hear your
views so let me know what you think.
Maureen Bull
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One of the first issues that Thanet Disability Forum has tackled is that of inconsiderate drivers who park their cars in bus stop clearways.
Tim Finch Showing Car Parked in Bus Stop
Thanet District Council has had the kerbs of many bus stops raised to enable not only people in wheelchairs to access the bus, but other passengers including elderly persons and those with children in pushchairs. If a driver parks their vehicle in the bus clear way the bus is unable to stop adjacent to the raised kerb. This leaves disabled passengers stranded unable to disembark or get onto the bus.
The Forum needs people to understand the difficulties such thoughtlessness can cause. Thanet District Council has been made aware of this situation by Forum member Tim Finch and will be taking additional enforcement action against drivers who park on a bus stop clearway from Monday 11 June.
If you see cars parked in bus stop clearways let us know where and when and we will raise this issue once more with Thanet District Council.
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Photo courtesy of Thanet District Council
