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Equipment

Hearing

If you have, or care for someone who has, a hearing impairment you can contact our hearing impairment team who will advise on suitable specialist equipment.

Sight impairment

If you have, or care for someone who has, a sight impairment you can contact our vision support services who will advise on suitable specialist equipment.

Beacon Centre for the Blind

The centre in Wolverhampton Road East, Sedgley has a resource room with demonstration equipment for people who are blind/visually impaired. Phone 01902 880111 to find out more or visit their website - Beacon Centre for the Blind.

Pocklington Resource Centre

The centre has a range of specialised demonstration equipment for people who are blind/visually impaired. They also provide information on audio, large print or in braille. Contact the Mary Stevens Centre, 221 Hagley Road, Stourbridge, DY8 2JP. Telephone 01384 440333, enquiries to src@pocklington-trust.org.uk or visit their website - Pocklington Resource Centre.

Aids and equipment for daily living

The occupational therapy team can advise on, and in many cases, supply equipment to help you in the home and with getting about. They will tell you about our assisted living centre where you can have a demonstration of what is available.

Telecare - not just pendant alarms!

Take a look at the range of alarms and equipment that Dudley telecare service has on offer to help people to live safely, securely and independently in their own homes.

Dudley Wheelchair Service

You will need a referral from your doctor to loan a wheelchair, free of charge, on a permanent basis. You can hire one temporarily from the Dudley wheelchair service at Corbett Outpatient Centre, Vicarage Road, Stourbridge, DY8 4JB. Telephone 01384 456111 - extension 4793/4 or email wheelchair.service@dgoh.nhs.uk. You may be entitled to help with buying a wheelchair through the wheelchair voucher scheme. 

Community Information Directory
Community Information Directory

National links

Ability Net

Foundation for Assistive Technology

Disabled Living Foundation

Disability Equipment Register

Ricability consumer guides

Royal National Institute of the Blind

Royal National Institute of the Deaf

Local suppliers of equipment

There are many local suppliers of equipment for people with additional needs. You can also look in the Yellow Pages, Thomsons Directory and the local press. Many chemists sell smaller items. Your GP can prescribe items from an approved list. These include, for example, elastic stockings, appliances for colostomies and similar conditions, trusses etc. Community and district nurses can provide some aids and equipment such as ripple pillows, V frames etc.

Take a look at some of the websites on the right - they have lists of equipment, national suppliers and in some cases guides to help decide what may be most suitable for you - but don't forget our occupational therapists can give you expert advice - and the most suitable piece of equipment may be the one that we can provide!

Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption

Equipment for the sole use of people with disabilities is usually zero-rated. Suppliers will just ask you to sign a VAT exemption form to confirm that you do have a disability.

All about equipment

'All about equipment' www.allaboutequipment.org.uk developed by four leading charities through Department of Health funding, aims to answer all the questions anyone might have about community equipment.

www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk created by the Disabled Living Foundation, provides independent advice and information on all types of daily living equipment. It has been funded by the Department of Health and the Department for Education and is accredited by the Department of Health's Information Standard.

Ricability www.ricability.org.uk is a national consumer research charity that has independent reports for older and disabled people. Reports include: who can help, where to go for further advice and help, car measurement factsheets, guides to adaptations and motoring reports. It is accredited by the Department of Health's information standard.

For Digital Switchover, Ricability has a website that has independent test reports on digital TV products www.ricability-digitaltv.org.uk