Equipment Services
If an OT has provided you with items of equipment, these will have been provided via our main equipment loan stores. If you no longer require these items and want them collected or if they are broken and need repairing call:
Birmingham Medequip stores: 0845 340 4430 Monday – Friday 8-5pm
Solihull stores: 0121 329 0900 Monday – Friday 9-5pm
Social Services
Social services teams comprise a range of services available to support people at home – this includes Occupational Therapists, Social workers, visual impairment teams, Learning Disabilities teams, Blue badge applications.
If you are concerned about someone’s well being and are worried they are vulnerable to being abused – physically, mentally or financially you can contact the Social Services Safeguarding team.
OTs working in Social services can assess for equipment and adaptations to the home, that hospital based OTs are unable to provide, i.e. bathroom adaptations, wet rooms / walk in showers, stair lifts, through floor lifts, ramped access.
Birmingham residents contact Adults and communities’ access point (ACAP):
Phone: 0121 303 1234
Website: www.mycareinbirmingham.org.uk
E-mail: ACAP@birmingham.gov.uk
Solihull Social services can be contacted on:
- Housing: 0121 717 1515
- Social Services: 0121 605 6060
- All other Services: 0121 704 8000
Website: www.solihull.gov.uk
E-mail: connectcc@solihull.gov.uk
Wheelchair Services
If you have spent time in hospital an OT may have referred you for provision of a wheelchair – this will be delivered to you directly from the wheelchair service once you are home from hospital. It usually takes 6-10 weeks from the point of referral for delivery to occur, unless you are assessed as having an urgent need for a wheelchair.
If you wish to make enquiries re: a wheelchair referral or if you want advice about an existing wheelchair contact:
Birmingham wheelchair service:
Phone: 0121 466 3000 Monday – Friday8.30 – 4.30pm
Website: www.birminghamcommunity.nhs.UK/wheelchair
E-mail: Birmingham. wheelchairs@nhs.net
Solihull wheelchair service:
Phone: 0121 329 0900
E-mail: jointequipmentservice@solihull.gov.uk
If you know someone who would benefit from a wheelchair you can ask their GP to refer them to wheelchair services
Assist Birmingham Centre (ABC)
St. Marks Street, Springhill, Ladywood, Birmingham, B1 2UH:
This service provides information, free assessment and demonstration facilities to make day to day living easier for people with disabilities / impairments. At the centre it is possible to view and trial equipment, trained officers can carry out benefit checks at the centre or at a person’s home, staff can assess for and provide blue badges. Home improvement officers can advise on home adaptations and draw up plans to assist if someone wants to undertake their own adaptations. OTs here also carry out a range of assessments to advise on equipment needs.
To arrange a visit to ABC:
Phone: 0121 464 4942 Monday – Thursday8.45 – 5.15pm, Friday8.45 – 4.15pm
Crossroads caring for carers
Crossroads provide moving and handling and/or first aid training in the home for family members / friends who act as carers, providing substantial and regular care for an adult or child who has a disability, long term illness or age associated frailty. The service promotes safer manual handling methods in order to ensure that care is provided with as little risk as possible to carers and those receiving care, and where necessary will advise on techniques / equipment that will enhance manual handling.
This service is free of charge, and carers can self refer.
Birmingham team: Phone: 0121 622 0574 / mobile: 07930138988
Solihull team: 0121 733 7295
Single point of access (SPA)
If someone is having difficulty coping at home and it is causing them significant problems but does not require hospital admission, the SPA team can assess someone within their own home to determine what services they require in order to cope better. It prevents avoidable hospital admissions and assists in the management of long term conditions in the community.
Those aged 18 years+ with a Birmingham GP can be referred if they require non urgent nursing or medical services, management of long term conditions, palliative / end of life care in their own home. The service is made up of nurses, care staff, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and social workers.
24 hour phone line Monday – Sunday: 0300 555 1919
Paediatric OT services
For children requiring OT input their GP needs to refer them to the relevant OT service(s).
Paediatric OTs assist with functional difficulties such as dressing, eating, toileting, school skills such as pencil and scissor skills, play skills, sensory abilities such as touch and balance, fine motor skills and gross motor and movement abilities and Social skills.
You can also contact the Paediatric OT service for advice Monday – Friday8.30 – 4.30pm
Carnegie Centre
Hunters Road
Hockley
B19 1DR
Tel: 0121 465 8551
Seating Companies
For hospital patients requiring specialist seating to use once they are back home, their ward OT will arrange a seating assessment and refer to Social services for provision of seating where possible. For someone who requires this in the community and wishes to independently purchase seating they can arrange for seating companies to assess and make recommendations. Some of the companies we liaise with are as follows:
Premiere Healthcare
Careflex, Kirton and Primacare Specialists
Phone: 0345 521 1819
Email: hello@premiere-healthcare.co.uk
Website: www.premiere-healthcare.co.uk
Seating Matters
Phone: 020 7559 3555
Website: www.seatingmatters.com
E-mail: london@seatingmatters.com
Multicare
Phone: 024 7647 2600
E-mail: d.stacey@multicare-coventry.co.uk
Falls Prevention
For people who are at regular risk of falls and those who have reduced awareness of the risk of falling, they or their families / carers can make a referral for pendant / care line alarms and other devices which alert re: falls and detect when falls have occurred. (* charges will apply for this service)
Birmingham city council provide a care line service
Phone: 0121 303 4205 / 3826
Website: www.birmingham.gov.uk/careline
Solihull safe and sound service
Phone: 0121 717 1515
Website: www.solihullcommunityhousing.org.uk
Age UK
This organisation can advise on a number of services to assist older people at home. Some of these services are free, provided by volunteers, other services are chargeable.
Services include Befriending – volunteers visit individuals at home who may be socially isolated; sitting services to give those providing care to a family member / spouse short breaks, whilst they do necessary tasks such as shopping, or engage in leisure pursuits; handyman service to assist with minor jobs around the home.
They can also advise on local agencies that can assist with furniture removal / collections.
Call the general enquiry line: 0800 169 6565 to get contact details for your local branch
Meals Provision
For an individual who is housebound and unable to do their own shopping, or if they are unable to cook for themselves, they may be able to arrange delivery of cooked meals (meals direct) via Social services, using contact numbers above.
For someone who is able to heat their own meals but cannot manage shopping, they can arrange to have frozen meals delivered direct to their home. A brochure of meals / dessert options is provided and orders are completed over the phone or on line for a bulk supply of meals.
Wiltshire farm foods:
Phone: 01922 635 930
E-mail: Walsall@wiltshirefarmfoods.co.uk
Website: www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com
Soldier, sailors and airmen’s families association (SSAFA)
SSAFA provides lifelong support for those who have served in the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force, as well as their families, providing housing & benefits advice, support groups and may be able to offer financial assistance towards the cost of disability equipment / adaptations
Cruse bereavement
This service provides emotional support when dealing with bereavement. This is via 1:1 sessions with trained volunteers to go through how your bereavement is affecting you. These appointments usually take place in the main office in Birmingham city centre but are sometimes conducted at other local area offices. Support can be provided over the phone for those who are unable to attend an office appointment.
Phone: 0844 477 9400 for your local branch details
E-mail: Info@cruse.org.uk
