Wheelchair and Community Equipment Strategy

Lord Rennard Excerpts

Thursday 11th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Rennard (LD)]

My Lords, I declare my interest as the conference chair of the National Association of Equipment Providers for the last five years. Before that, for 10 years I was director of communications for the British Healthcare Trades Association, representing manufacturers and suppliers of wheelchairs and assistive technology, upholding industry standards, promoting innovation and supporting purchasers and users through a code of practice.

My personal interest in this began as a teenager pushing my mother in a second-hand wheelchair bought through an advert in the Liverpool Echo. There was no assessment, training or support in the 1970s. Much has improved in the 50 years since, yet the Wheelchair Alliance report in December 2023 showed that wheelchair provision varied widely. It said:

“Wheelchair users … in some areas receive an excellent service whereas users in other areas may experience significant delays, inappropriately tailored equipment, a lack of training and/or slow response to breakdowns”.


The report also showed how high-quality provision can improve lives and deliver financial benefits. Wheelchairs are not just medical devices; they are gateways to independence, inclusion, work, education and activity.

Poor provision restricts life chances, limits employment and can harm the health of carers. Pressures in wheelchair services are mirrored across community equipment—from hoists and specialist beds to bathing aids and home adaptations. The problems are systemic, not just localised. The APPG for Access to Disability Equipment found that delays are driven by staff shortages, particularly of occupational therapists; supply chain and recycling constraints; and wide inconsistencies between local authorities. At the root of this crisis are weak oversight and blurred accountability between local authorities and integrated care boards, driving wide regional variation. Provision is fragmented and inconsistent, so I also hope that the Government will now drive forward a national strategy with clear structures for provision.

I agree with the Wheelchair Alliance that all integrated care boards must adopt the quality framework for wheelchair provision and the model service specification when commissioning services. I also support the call by the APPG for Access to Disability Equipment for a dedicated national strategy for community equipment, alongside a dedicated DHSC Minister to oversee delivery. This would ensure that needs are appropriately and fairly met everywhere. I welcome the Government’s wheelchair quality framework, but it does not go nearly far enough. I also welcome increased use of personalised budgets, but providers and users really need to understand these budgets to ensure real choice and best provision, giving users more control over their daily lives.

Fundamentally, what we need to address is balancing the costs of the provision of wheelchairs and community equipment with long-term benefits, including preventing accidents, reducing the need for healthcare intervention in future and enabling people with disabilities to work, pay taxes and reduce their dependency on benefits, while at the same time significantly increasing emotional well-being for many families.