Figure 5. A wheelchair does not need to look like a mobility device Client compliance has often been a challenge for many clinicians. In this month’s article we look at some of the reasons for this, with a number of case studies illustrating examples of when a solution that has been set up in the clinic with every best intention, often falls apart in the real world. How well can we put ourselves into the positions of our clients, and enhance their endorsement of the solution? Life is a real pain. Our clients do not sit in 90-90-90 text book positions, they are not symmetrical, their ‘comfortab ..read more

A specialist in sleeping solutions for children with disabilities, Theraposture, will be demonstrating two exciting new prototype care cots for visitor feedback at Kidz to Adultz South on 2 May 2024. Theraposture will highlight its two new cots, which will be displayed for the first time at Kidz South. Focusing on cost optimisation and easy re-issuing, these products are aimed at maximising budgets for healthcare prescribers and equipment loan stores. Kidz to Adultz South will take place at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre in Hampshire from 9.30am-4pm on Thursd ..read more

A new National Office for Care and Support that focuses on innovation, improvement, and transformation of adult and children’s services has been launched. Minister for Social Care Dawn Bowden has welcomed the launch of the new National Office for Care and Support, which marks another important step towards a National Care Service in Wales as it forms a major part of the Welsh Government’s longer-term goal to strengthen social care arrangements at a national level. The launch of the national office is the first part of the phased plan to implement the National Care Service, which is a shared p ..read more

Luke Sartain is the CEO of SpotDif, a new comparison service that helps individuals discover hearing aids and mobility solutions. An expert in the needs and movements of the mobility and accessible furniture markets, he shares his thoughts on the innovations of mobility furniture. Typically, we likely don’t think about mobility furniture until ourselves or a loved one is affected by ageing, disability, or mobility issues. In the past, mobility furniture has favoured practical and clinical specifications prioritising patient care. With innovations and elevations in the mobility furniture market ..read more

Information panels with Makaton symbols that promote walks, trails, cycle routes, nature reserves, and heritage attractions have been installed at six train stations across Cumbria in North West England. Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs, and speech to enable disabled people to communicate. Northen says it is used by over 100,000 children and adults in the UK as their main method of communication or as a way to support speech. The panels have been installed at Corkickle, Dalston, Harrington, Seascale, St Bees, and Wigton stations. Craig Harrop, Regional Director ..read more

A new report from Newlife has painted a worrying picture that there are a growing number of disabled children being let down due to a lack of access to essential support and specialist assistive technologies, such as wheelchairs, buggies, and beds. One headline finding is that three-quarters of professionals are concerned there are children living without essential equipment, with only 39 percent of families feeling their child has all the specialist equipment they need. In the past year, Newlife has worked closely with hundreds of families and professionals to understand their experiences wi ..read more

A review into how patients and their families are kept informed when healthcare goes wrong has been launched by the UK Government. A new call for evidence, launched on 16 April 2024, aims to capture and consider views about how the duty of candour system is honoured, monitored, and enforced in health and social care settings. The duty of candour requires health and care providers to be open and honest when things go wrong. It means that patients and families have a right to receive explanations for what happened as soon as possible and a meaningful apology. The current system has been in plac ..read more

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s telecare service has launched its new digital alarm-receiving centre platform. Caerphilly Careline provides a telecare service to residents in the Caerphilly borough, as well as other local authorities and housing associations in South Wales. The system includes a base unit installed in the individual’s home, which can be activated remotely by a button worn around the neck or on the wrist. Once the alarm is activated, it will connect to an operator who can talk to the caller to find out what support is needed. Changes to the system have been needed to prepa ..read more

In a year marked by significant medtech advancement, IDA Ireland, a national development agency that attracts foreign investment to the country, has released a comprehensive medtech whitepaper. It explores the trajectory of the medtech industry, offering insights into the opportunities and challenges which lie ahead. With insights gathered from diverse industry experts – including World Economic Forum (WEF) Lighthouse companies DePuy and Janssen along with Bausch and Lomb, Baxter Healthcare, and Cook Medical – the whitepaper emphasises the continued acceleration of technology disruption and t ..read more

Action from government, public services and employers is needed to address rising levels of ill-health in England, a new report published by the Health Foundation says. A new report published by the Health Foundation states that action from government, public services and employers is needed to address rising levels of ill-health in England. The report focuses on inequalities in major illness in England, notably among working-age people. It reveals that growing ill-health will continue to significantly impact people’s lives and the economy. On current trends, 3.7 million working-age adults wi ..read more