Comments on Independent Living Blog: DLCs - Impartial Advisers or Mobility Retailers?

Whenever i see the post like your's i feel tha...

2010-06-15T18:11:50.712+01:00

Whenever i see the post like your's i feel that there are still helpful people who share information for the help of others, it must be helpful for other's. thanx and good job.

Finance Dissertations Help

The Greater London Authority supports the principl...

2009-12-22T13:18:44.528Z

The Greater London Authority supports the principle of independent living, which has been one of the priorities of its disability equality scheme. The developments you mention appear to conflict with the principles of choice and autonomy, although I am not in a position to comment on the facts at particular Centres.

We will publish a new Disability Equality Scheme in 2010. Disabled people will be involved throughout the process, which will include a full discussion of independent living and any relevant developments.

A number of interesting points raised in this comm...

2009-12-21T13:49:59.994Z

A number of interesting points raised in this comment, particularly about quality of advice and also the point about after sales care, which ILCs are not geared up to provide.

I appreciate that times are tough, and ILCs are being pressured over funding, but turning to retail really doesn't seem the best solution.

Yes ILC's should remain impartial & I have...

2009-12-18T11:18:55.207Z

Yes ILC's should remain impartial & I have worked in one for many years. We did sell equipment 20 years ago when it wasn't as obtainable as it is now because what was the point of advising someone to have some equipment but then not being able to provide it easily. Why come to an ILC for an assessment & then have to go to a shop when you can just go to a shop & buy equipment? I know the assessment is important as part of the process of getting the right equipment. I have recently found it has become harder to obtain equipment from manufacturers due to the down turn in the economy so limiting choice. TCES & opening up the marketplace may be good for competition on price & choice but I feel the public are sometimes getting poor advice. Selling equipment also raises issues over after sales care which we couldn't provide.
Does Assist UK needs stronger guidelines over impartiality & selling equipmetn as part of their memebership standards or will that just deter centres from joining?
PCTs/LAs run their centres to different standards & see selling equipment as income generation, a source of money needed when the cash is tight. There is a large market out there & an opportunity for money to be made.

We wholeheartedly agree that ILCs should maintain ...

2009-12-11T11:10:20.075Z

We wholeheartedly agree that ILCs should maintain their impartiality by not selling equipment and by providing a service enabling people who need equipment to make informed choices about what is right for them.

We are also concerned at the shops and retailers who have 'ASSIST UK' logos, 'BHTA' logos or 'Trusted Assessor' certificates displayed in their adverts or windows, implying that they will be giving an impartial assessment of need.

I am pleased that some retailers are taking their responsibility seriously and ensuring their staff have awareness or training for the job they do, but these certificates and memberships don't actually prove any competence from the staff employed.

We have a good relationship with retailers in this area who do advise people to contact us if they feel their needs are complex. We have been asking Assist UK for sometime to ask national publications to insert a box in all pages advertising equipment recommending that people call their local ILC for advice before purchasing equipment as we hear too many sad stories of people buying expensive and inappropriate equipment from high pressure salespeople from companies who advertise in these publications; people feel that if the advert is in 'Yours' magazine then the company must be reputable.

I understand that due to funding difficulties some ILCs are having to sell equipment BUT I think they are the minority and most ILCs continue as we do to provide this impartial service.

We are a U. S. based manufacturer of the Liftvest,...

2009-12-04T14:22:36.597Z

We are a U. S. based manufacturer of the Liftvest, a denim vest with a webbing harness for the manual transfer and ambulation of persons with mobility problems.

I am not familiar with the centers that you discuss since we do not have exact replicas in the U.S. However there are numerous private and public AT centers that act as resource centers. I have not run into any that are acting as sales agents.

As an instance, NYC Metro CP has an exhibition room for AT products which they display. They dont sell but they will give info and advice if asked. That sounds to me most appropriate. I would be very troubled if they were pushing and selling products.

Thank you, Helen, for this thoughtful contribution...

2009-12-03T17:13:58.851Z

Thank you, Helen, for this thoughtful contribution - I do agree that this needs discussing in an open way, so that the needs of users come first.

Hi, I am the OT at the Halton ILC, and I too agree...

2009-12-03T16:40:44.307Z

Hi,
I am the OT at the Halton ILC, and I too agree wholeheartedly that we must maintain our impartiality and be able to advise on the wider range of equipment, without pressure to recommend stock items. However, I often find that people are disappointed, when they have made the effort to get to the centre, and then have to go elsewhere to purchase the equipment, especially small items.

We have considered having a retail outlet at the centre, but one that it is completely seperate from the OT service, so that we maintain that independent advice. So far, it is only an idea, as we have yet to find a way to action it so it is beneficial for the customer, without compromising the independent advice and assessment we currently offer.

The topic so definately needs much more discussion and debate.

My name is Ian Cole, I am the cases secretary of t...

2009-12-03T15:04:22.803Z

My name is Ian Cole, I am the cases secretary of the Southampton and West Hants. panel of REMAP.

I can see exactly where you are coming from with your comments but I wonder unless all DLC's or ILC's are independently funded, how can they ever be truly independent? Would it be more pragmatic to perhaps campaign for a 'code of ethics' and for it to be illegal for a single commercial source in this field to be able to impose themselves upon any retail outlet?

Where I live in a large village about 10 miles outside Southampton we have a 'disabled equipment shop' selling scooters etc., they have involved me in my REMAP capacity with modifying scooters for two of their clients. This has enabled me to make a minor judgement on the way that they operate and I feel that overall, if they were not able to make a profit and continue to do business, then disabled people locally would lose out. As you know transport is usually a problem for disabled people and from here it is quite a haul to the centres in Southampton
and Bournemouth.

REMAP members often find themselves advising clients about commercial equipment which might solve a problem for them. Although we are not professionally qualified to do this (most of us are retired engineers), we have a lot of combined experience in this field and we do have medical and Occupational Therapist colleagues with whom we consult.

I believe that there are a very large number of people 'out there' needing help, we are dealing with 87 cases this year in this area. I applaud you for wanting to see a 'more perfect' service, but I always feel that when I go out and see a disabled person in, say for example, a scooter that is perhaps not the ideal model for what they are doing, I always think that at least they are outside shopping and meeting people and not indoors alone, looking out of a window to a grey depressing winter sky.

Thank you, Joanne, it's always interesting to ...

2009-12-03T14:58:27.371Z

Thank you, Joanne, it's always interesting to hear from someone at the sharp end. I do understand the financial pressures, but like you, don't think this is an excuse for moving into retail selling.

Hi I manage the Nottingham DLC and agree that any ...

2009-12-03T14:16:35.414Z

Hi I manage the Nottingham DLC and agree that any selling will impact on impartiality and we deceive ourselves if we think other wise.
I fear in this economic climate centres see this as a way to survive and their funders have encouraged it as a move towards the retail model. Most independent centres are struggling to find the money to retain their independence and selling at lower margins than local private outlets is seen by local people as opportune. I feel this is bad for the market and will ultimely be bad for the centres and the people who use them . YES YES IT DOES NEED DEBATE

I wholeheartedly agree with your comments, I now o...

2009-12-03T14:15:00.279Z

I wholeheartedly agree with your comments, I now oversee the management of the Daily Living Centre in Brighton & Hove and have resisted numerous offers of selling items of equipment (or becoming agents for a certain ubiquitous stairlift company) purely on the basis of it compromising the centre's impartiality. I passionately believe that DLCs should be places where people can go to get honest and impartial information and advice about DLE and adaptations, rather than enhanced showrooms.

However, I would also argue that can any DLC be truly impartial? As to get hold of equipment to demonstrate, they have to deal with suppliers and retailers to persuade them to loan or donate their stock. The negotiations that go into these loan agreements can often be very specific, with companies looking to see a certain level of return for their support, which in the current financial climate is not unreasonable. It would be remarkable for a company to loan its equipment for it not to be promoted in a positive way.

I would be interested to know if Assist UK have been approached for their thoughts on this matter, as it was a major issue for debate during my time as one of their trustees?

I fully, entirely, completely and utterly agree!

2009-12-03T11:39:48.443Z

I fully, entirely, completely and utterly agree!

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing your experience i...

2009-12-03T11:33:02.924Z

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing your experience in the West Midlands. I think it underlines the appetite for impartial advice in these very important areas.

We also agree with your observations on the ILCs, ...

2009-12-03T10:39:37.279Z

We also agree with your observations on the ILCs, so we have launched two demonstrators (one a renovated terraced house in West Bromwich and an unaltered flat in North Staffordshire) to demonstrate new products and technologies not only to those with disabilities and long term conditions, but also to the health and social care commissioners to try to get these products adopted and supported, perhaps through personalised budgets.
The demonstrator locations have attracted nearly 400 commissioners in the last year, and have paved the way for MedilinkWM to be around the table and raise the issues about access to technologies both practically and financially, and access to unbiased advice for people (and patients).
www.MedilinkWM.co.uk/assistedliving

Hi Francis I agree totally with your comments. The...

2009-12-03T10:03:36.779Z

Hi Francis
I agree totally with your comments. The disability marketplace is agog with able-bodied people who see the disabled marketplace as a good place to be, so as to make a lot of money, and it should not be. It should be full of people whose first priority is to feel the problems of the disabled person and try then to sort them., and then perhaps lead them into areas where they can purchase items to improve their lives.
Admittedly I am conducting such a business, and if my products are useful for people it is necessary to obtain income - but I am disabled with MS and the first priority is always to ensure that the product suits the person, and he/she goes away with a smile on their face before I think about the income.
The disabled marketplace needs to be cleansed and if the able-bodied are not able to do this, then surely there is someone within perhaps the Government who can.