All disabled people are entitled to an assessment to determine what types of aids and equipment they require. The following information applies to residents of St Helens, Merseyside, England. If you live in another part of the country the process may vary slightly and you should contact your own local council to see how they can best meet your individual needs.

How do I request an assessment?

Within St Helens you can ring up the council contact centre on 01744 456 789 and explain you wish to have an Occupational Therapy assessment. They will put you through to a service advisor who will ask you some questions including your personal details, if you have any carers or people who help you out around the home and what aids and equipment needs you feel you may have. That information will then be passed on to the Occupational Therapy Service. They aim to have an assessor contact you within 2 working days of receiving your request.

What is the assessment process like?

The first part of the assessment includes either a telephone conversation with the assessor or a questionnaire may be posted to your home if you wish. The information provided helps the assessor to determine whether or not you will benefit from any further services and how they might be able to help you. Sometimes they will determine you may benefit from simple equipment based on how you answer the questions and will not need to visit your home.

If it is deemed that you may benefit from more complex equipment or several items of equipment you may require a home visit. Someone will then contact you to arrange an appointment for this visit. The assessment will then be conducted by a member of the Occupational Therapy team. Examples of assessments that may require a home visit include those where the person has difficulty with bathing or several aspects of daily life such as toileting, feeding, dressing, general mobility and/or getting in and out of bed.

What types of equipment will I get and how will I get them?

Simple pieces of equipment (costing under £100) will often be prescribed to you. These prescriptions can be redeemed at accredited providers such as Shopmobility on Chalon Way Car Park, Aline Mobility on Claughton Street or Aids to Living on Warrington Road in Prescot. The Occupational Therapist will be able to give you an up to date list of accredited providers but I have listed some at the end of this post.

The prescription must be redeemed within one month of issue. You will get a brand new item of equipment. If you wish you can sometimes get a similar item with more features but you will have to pay the difference in price. If the equipment prescribed requires delivery you will have to arrange this with the accredited provider. Some accredited providers also offer delivery on prescribed equipment that is not marked by the OT as for delivery but may charge a fee for doing so.

The accredited retailer will explain how to fit the equipment and should also provide written instructions on how to do so. You will have to sign the prescription to show you have received it. The equipment then belongs to you and it is your responsibility to look after it.

More complex items of equipment usually costing over £100, electrically operated or specialist items will be made available on loan. The Occupational Therapist will order this type of equipment and arrange delivery to your home. They may also revisit you to provide training and check the suitability of the equipment once it has been delivered if they have not already instructed the delivery driver to do so. This equipment will be serviced and maintained by the community lone store as necessary.

What about adaptations?

Minor adaptations costing under £400 required for discharge from the hospital can be fitted in 48 hours or less but usually take between 7-56 working days once an order has been placed.

Major adaptations costing over £400 may be funded by a Disabled Facilities Grant if your financial situation warrants it. You may be asked to pay part or all the costs of major adaptations. DASH can help you search for other grants and sources of funding but can not guarantee that we will find one suitable to your needs.

Major adaptations include things such as:

• Ramps or Step Lift
• Stair Lift or Through the Floor Lift
• Driveway,  Hard Standing and Dropped Kerb
• Paths and Rails
• Track Lift
• Bathroom, Shower over the bath, Shower cubicle or Level access shower
• Toilet, Clos – O – Mat toilet or combined shower and toilet
• Kitchen
• Heating Adaptations

Adaptations for children:

Fencing, safe play areas, strengthened glass or specialist safety gate

Self Assessment

There is an online tool called AskSARA which can help you determine what aids and equipment you may benefit from in your own daily life. Most equipment available on prescription is also available to purchase should you decide you do not want to go the Occupational Therapy assessment route. The listed accredited providers below can sell you the items you wish to purchase should you chose to buy them privately.

Accredited Providers 

A Line Mobility, 58 Claughton Street, St Helens  WA10 1SN  Tel 01744 602602

A Line Mobility, Unit E1, Alexandra Street, Widnes  Tel 0151 423 3738

Aides to Living, 99 Warrington Road, Prescot L34 5ST  Tel 0151 426 1239

Aids4Mobility  Tel 08444 99 22 00   www.aids4mobility.co.uk

Boggianos Chemist, 101 Walmsley Road, Eccleston, St Helens, WA10 5JW Tel 01744 20879

Bradlegh Road Pharmacy, Newton Community Hospital, Newton le Willows  WA12 8RB Tel 01925 223535

Disability Living Aids, 2 Cross Lane, Earlestown, Newton le Willows  Tel 01925 270083

Donlons Pharmacy, 155 Station Road, Haydock St Helens Tel 01744 25036

Garswood Pharmacy, Garswood Health Centre, Billinge Road, Garswood, Wigan  WN4 0XD

Haydock Mobility/VLC (stairlifts) Ltd, 366 Church Road, Haydock, St Helens Tel 01942 719565

Heatons Pharmacy, 21 Bassenthwaite Avenue, Moss Bank St Helens  WA11 7AB  Tel 01744 24941

Shopmobility, Chalon Way multi-storey car park, Chalon Way West, St Helens  Tel 01744 613388

Taylors Pharmacy, 210 West End Road, Haydock, St Helens  WA11 0AN

Useful Contacts

Care and Repair (Grab rails and other repairs) - 01744 671679

Occupational Therapy
St.Helens Council
2nd Floor, Wesley House
Corporation Street St.Helens
WA10 1HE

Fax number – 01744 676244