Fair trading and mobility gear prices

[Burgerman]

By email after me talking to the WCS about the stupid prices that they are paying for mobility equipment...
They forwarded my comments to the Goverments Office Of Fair Trading who are currently doing a study on the outragous prices of mobility equipment...


Dear John,
I write to acknowledge reciept of your email dated 27 May which has been forwarded to us by Leigh ********* of North East Lincolnshire Care Trust.
Many thanks for taking the time to contribute to our study.
We have found the points you made interesting and helpful.
Would you be happy for us to contact you in the future in the event that it is necessary to explore any of the issues you have covered in greater depth?

Regards

Phil *********
Mobility Aids Market Study team
Office of Fair Trading

__________________

Me again!
I actually think that the prices they charge are very high but the real problem is a lack of NHS understanding of HOW to buy wheelchairs in bulk, how to do a deal, and how to "run a business" so to speak. Rather than the fault of the industry.

Also for parts. For eg the average "wheelchair tech guy" needs a bearing, or a metric bolt, he will order it from the powerchair or wheelchair manufacturers list... At quite unbelievable prices. Bearings, can be bought at 1/5th the cost for quality items. A simple specific "bolt" for a seat mounting or something might be priced at £2.90 plus VAT and delivery... You are paying for stocking, bagging, labelling, stock maintainance, website and order part numbers, catalogs, etc.

I can buy a BOX of these 8.8 quality metric bolts for the same price as ONE BOLT locally. Or even cheaper online.

The problem is a lack of interest, or understanding of simple engineering, and they do what is "easy" rather than the cheapest/fastest cost efficient solution. They need better engineers with the confidence to substitute a bolt without a paper trail and ACCEPT the responsibility for his actions.

And they buy, maintain, 1 chair at once... They buy tyres and batteries the same way. And have no real clue about how to repair a users chair (a fact!) in cost effective manner or how to run a workshop or ordering and stocking system.

An example of this is the 2 BM2 chairs here. I am sat in one. They cost me about 1700 each, and are using the best of everything, and are built REGARDLESS of cost using stainless bolts, bearings, biggest controllers, best batteries, etc. But all the components and powder coating, and manufactured parts bought at the RIGHT PRICE. EG today I had the centre sections tig welded. With a reciept. £5.00 I gave them ten because it took them an hour! But you need to find the right places to do this stuff. The last place wanted £65 and wanted me to leave the parts and go back in a few days. I went in search of somewhere cheaper!

[Anderida]

Never mind repairs. I'm on means-tested benefits yet I've had to pay £1400 for a powerchair, £1000 to have a hoist fitted to my car (being fitted next friday) , £15 for a pump for the tyres and £20 for a bag thingy for under the seat so I have somewhere secure for my handbag.

Now I need to spend £200? £300? who knows, to get a ramp fitted so I can get the damn chair out of the house!

To think, I could have gone to Dragoncom in Atlanta at the end of Aug for a fraction of that! Bugger!

[Burgerman]

It will be cheaper in the end to move house, and buy a US imported half price chair/van so you dont have all those other problems...

[Anderida]

Probably true but then I'd be homeless!