Paraplegic’s six-month wait for new wheelchair batteries

One councillor brands delay ‘a disgrace’

- Phil Corrigan Local Democracy Reporter

COUNCILLORS say it is ‘shocking’ that a paraplegic woman has been waiting six months for the batteries in her wheelchair to be replaced.

Rachel Carter told scrutiny committee members at Stoke-on-Trent City Council that she is unable to travel more than a mile from home in her powered wheelchair due to its faulty batteries.

City councillors carried out a review into the wheelchair service commissioned by Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board last year, after concerns were raised over service users facing lengthy delays. ICB officials gave the health and social care scrutiny committee an update on the progress in implementing the review’s recommendations.

They say that wheelchair service provider AJM Healthcare has been able to reduce the number of long waits over the past year - in June there were 61 adults and 15 children waiting more than 52 weeks, compared to 182 adults and 47 children in 2024.