"I cannot afford a wheelchair that will give me independence."

I had been using a wheelchair which I had bought myself during lockdown as my mobility was deteriorating to such a degree that I was no longer able to leave the house. However, my wheelchair was quite heavy and I wasn’t able to get it out of the car by myself. This meant that I was never able to go out by myself. I mentioned this to my GP one day last year and he told me I would be able to get a lighter wheelchair which would meet my needs through the Bromley wheelchair service.

I waited several months for my referral and was so pleased to receive my phone call. I was so excited to finally get a date for my chair to be delivered, and actually cried with disappointment when it arrived. It was the most uncomfortable, heavy wheelchair I had ever sat on and it was considerably heavier than my old chair. I phoned the wheelchair service and explained that I wouldn’t be able to use it. They told me I could have a voucher instead if I wanted, but I could only spend it in 4 different wheelchair shops of their choosing and a lightweight wheelchair costs a lot more than the voucher value. Five months on, I am more or less bedbound. I cannot afford a wheelchair that will give me independence.