Equipment and Adaptations Assessment Service

EQUIPMENT AND ADAPTATIONS ASSESSMENT SERVICE

What is it?
The service is provided by a team of occupational therapists, adaptations officers and administrative officers.  Our aim is to help people towards independence, health and well being by assessing their abilities and the difficulties they have with daily living tasks and to assist them in planning and agreeing actions to improve the situation.

Who is it for?
The service is for people of all ages.  To access the service you must be a Barnsley resident and have an illness or disability that is long term and limits your ability to manage daily tasks safely.  You may also be supported by a carer who is unable to continue or is at risk when helping you.

What do the Equipment and Adaptation Team do?
The occupational therapist or adaptations officer will visit you at home to talk to you and your carers about the problems you are having.  They will also ask you to show how you carry out practical tasks to get a clear picture of your abilities and difficulties.  They may then:

• Offer advice about easier/safer ways of carrying out everyday tasks
• Give you the opportunity to practice new/safer techniques whilst supervised by them
• Discuss and advise on the options available for the provision of equipment and adaptations to your home
• Advise / support your re-housing requirements when your needs cannot be met by adapting your existing home
• Refer on to other services / agencies who may be able to resolve other issues outside the scope of this service

What do we mean by equipment?
This could be an item that will make doing a daily life task easier, independently or more safely.  A higher seat to fit over your toilet may make standing and sitting easier, or a seat for inside your bath may help you to get in and out safely.  A rail fitted to the side of the bed may assist you with getting in and out This type of equipment may be supplied by the Integrated Health and Social Services Community Equipment Service that is based at Kendray Hospital.  Alternatively, you will be informed of the option to purchase a piece of equipment via the Direct Payments scheme if this is considered to be suitable for you.

What is an adaptation?
This is some adjustment or alteration to your home that will make doing a daily life task easier or safer.  It may be very simple such as fitting a grab rail to a wall or a second handrail to the wall beside the staircase.  It could be complex and extensive such as major structural alterations to a bathroom, installing a stair lift, installing a ramp or providing additional ground floor facilities where safe access to the first floor is impossible.

One or more items of equipment, simple or complex adaptations or a combination of these may be needed.  Whether they can be provided will depend on your assessed needs, what you feel is right for you and whether it is possible (this can depend on the structure and layout of your home).  You may find that the recommendations vary from your original request.

If you are a home owner or a tenant and the outcome of the assessment is a need for structural alteration to your home, the Equipment and Adaptations Service will contact the appropriate agency to recommend the work be carried out.  You may be able to get a Disabled Facilities Grant or your landlord (e.g. Berneslai Homes) may meet the cost of the alterations.  The maximum grant that can be given is £25,000 and to ensure that the grant goes to the neediest households, the amount of grant you get is decided by taking into account the income and capital of the disabled person and their spouse or partner.  Where the application is for a child or young person under the age of nineteen, there is no test of finances.

It is important to note that no work must start before your grant application has been approved.  The grant cannot pay for work that has already been started.
 

How can you access this service?
The first step is to contact the Equipment and Adaptations Team:
• You or someone on your behalf, but with your permission, can phone either the Customer Information Services, 01226 770770 , or the Equipment and Adaptations Team, 01226 775800.  You or your representative will be asked for information about yourself (e.g. date of birth), your home (e.g. who owns it, layout, number of steps etc.) and the difficulties that you are having, so it helps to have this information to refer to when making the call.
• By email at:  equip.adap@barnsley.gov.uk 
• Complete the on-line referral form which can be found on the Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council website in the Social Services section, www.barnsley.gov.uk
• If you are receiving treatment or care from other health or social services the health or social services worker, with your permission, should contact us on your behalf.

Will I have to wait?
There is a very high demand for our service so we may have to put you on a waiting list.  Every request is considered individually and people in unavoidable high risk situations are seen as soon as possible.

How can I help myself?
Unfortunately it is not possible for us to visit everyone and people with low level needs will be given information about how they may help themselves whether by purchasing equipment or obtaining advice about adaptations or repairs to their home.  Many items of equipment that were previously only available through specialist suppliers are now readily available from supermarkets, chemists and other local retail outlets.  There are also many mail order firms that supply equipment to overcome daily living problems caused by poor grip, limited reach and stiff joints, etc.  The Equipment and Adaptations Service can supply an information sheet listing a number of such suppliers both local and national.  This information sheet can also be found via the website.

A national organisation, the Disabled Living Foundation, have a computer software programme with which a person can complete a self assessment and obtain information on ways of overcoming particular difficulties.  This programme can be accessed via: www.dlf.org.uk/sara

Equipment can be seen and tried and impartial information and advice obtained by visiting:

The South Yorkshire Centre for Inclusive Living
M & M Business Park
Doncaster Road
Kirk Sandall
Doncaster
DN3 1HR
Tel:  01302 892949
NB.  You are advised to ring first before visiting

Related Links:

• Online Referral Form
• Disability Guide