Impact of our wheelchair loan Economic resource savings Amy feels that without the Holly agreed that using the £1,434 wheelchair, the family would have wheelchair to keep mobile was needed an ambulance service for essential: “it’s good so I can get out Avoiding call out of registered their return visit to the hospital and of the house. I’ve been to a kind ambulance with medically for the trips to and from the hospital of festival place with lots of music trained ambulance staff for for Holly’s second hip operation. In and to my granny’s, and to the park one return trip to hospital for addition, they would not be able to and the deers were getting really X-ray and one return trip for the get Holly to hospital in an emergency interested in my chair and they really second hip operation = or if a complication arose during liked me.” her recovery, e.g. infection. She is Amy says it is hard to imagine how £932 resource savings for also likely to need to see a doctor or the family would have coped without NHS ambulance service visit a local clinic if she is in pain or the Red Cross wheelchair: “It would (based on £233 per incidence of ambulance becomes ill. Without a wheelchair, have been really, really limiting… call out, see, treat and convey; PSSRU, this would require a home call by 2014) medical staff. it would have had big implications for Holly in terms of keeping up Avoiding home call by local The family feel strongly that the friendships. Recovery and health is a nurse or health visitor per hip wheelchair is assisting Holly’s holistic thing – it’s not just a physical operation, as a result of not recovery greatly, as it gets her out recovery.” being able to get Holly to local of the house, provides her with At one point, the family was told that clinic = opportunities to interact with other there was a waiting list for paediatric children and adults, and reduces her wheelchairs with 11 names on it. £102 resource savings for isolation from the normal activities This sent them into despair so Amy NHS/local clinic and experiences of a six-year-old. did some research on the internet. (based on 2 x home visits by health visitor = The chair has already enabled Holly Without the Red Cross loan, they £51 per visit; PSSRU, 2014) to attend school two afternoons say they would have had to buy a a week for two weeks, and will be chair themselves, at a cost of at least Avoiding cost of family support used again for this after her second £500 and then adapt it to Holly’s worker one hour a week after operation. needs. This would not have been two months of recovery and, According to Holly’s teacher, this has easily affordable for them as they while second recovery phase had several benefits for Holly and her both work part-time. for second hip operation classmates: It helps her academically Amy felt the Red Cross short- commences, building emotional to not get behind with her work, term wheelchair loan is absolutely recovery and coping support = and reduces her isolation as she essential and was surprised to hear can be with her friends at school. the NHS do not provide wheelchairs £400 resource savings for It is also beneficial for the other for this type of case. Without this, on local authority services children. Holly’s mum came in with a recent trip back to hospital for an (based on one hour per week for eight her the first time and explained to weeks, at unit cost of £50 per hour for family the class about her operation... they X-ray appointment, they would have support worker; PSSRU, 2014) were fascinated and very caring and had to use the hospital’s ambulance careful of Holly and it makes her a bit service. of a ‘star’ in class, which is good for “It’s almost like doing a half service - her confidence. None of this could if the Red Cross weren’t doing it, it’s happen without the wheelchair.” like expecting you to lie on a hospital In an interview, a nurse on the floor after you’ve had surgery and surgery ward added that the then like saying ‘oh sorry, this other wheelchair “will likely have a major service provides the beds’.” impact on school attendance and education; it avoids what can be a very isolating experience for some kids at an important time in their development, so there’s better mental rehabilitation through being able to socialise when otherwise they can’t physically get up and get about.” 23