Non-Executive Director praises Norfolk Wheelchair Service for innovation, compassion and dedication
- Events and visits
The Norfolk Wheelchair Service recently welcomed Non-Executive Director Jayne Sharma for a visit to learn more about the service, meet the team and see first-hand the difference they make to patients' lives.
During her visit, Jayne gained a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in wheelchair provision and was highly impressed by the team's unwavering commitment to putting patients at the centre of everything they do.
Reflecting on the visit, Jayne said:
"It was a really insightful visit and made me much more aware of the complexities the team face. I was so impressed with the care shown and how the patient was at the heart of everything."
The visit provided an opportunity for the team to share the challenges they have been working hard to overcome while continuing to deliver high-quality care.
Jayne recognised the resilience and determination shown by staff and praised the team's creative approach to maintaining capacity, including bringing in a talented secondee and investing in the development of an apprentice to support the future workforce.
She was also impressed by the service's innovative thinking and commitment to improving patient experience. Through securing additional funding, the team developed a successful "Chair in a Day" initiative, providing rapid access to wheelchairs for patients with more straightforward needs. Alongside this, the service has embraced digital technology, enabling lower-risk patients to provide information remotely, helping clinicians assess needs more efficiently and reducing the number of appointments required.
These initiatives are enabling the team to focus more of their specialist expertise on patients with complex clinical and social needs, where highly customised wheelchair solutions can have a transformative impact on quality of life.
During Jayne's visit, she was able to observe Wayne Lowe, who is one of the senior clinician’s during an assessment with a young patient.
Jayne praised Wayne for his patient friendly approach and said; "The chair will make a real difference to the little girl and stop her from constantly falling and hurting herself. You all make a difference to each and every person."
The visit reinforced the importance of the service's unique blend of clinical expertise and technical knowledge, which is required to provide wheelchairs that meet both medical and social needs.
Jayne also recognised opportunities that could further enhance the service, including the benefits of co-locating the wheelchair service with the maintenance team to improve efficiency, streamline stock management and reduce the number of visits patients may need to make. In addition, she highlighted the importance of longer-term demand planning across healthcare services to better understand future patient needs and ensure appropriate resources are available to meet demand.
Concluding her visit, Jayne expressed her sincere thanks to the team and acknowledged the dedication she witnessed throughout the service.
"Another example of a great team that cares so much about their patients. I was impressed by the innovation, resilience and commitment shown by everyone. Thank you for the work you do and the difference you make to patients and families every day."
