Hi Kim,

Do you have a PNI Specialist Teacher linked to your school from your local council?

This is usually how I look to purchase relevant equipment to support our students. Students requiring the equipment do have an EHCP.

Tiffany

In Essex we have an equipment ordering service called Uniqus for health equipment such as chairs and changing benches for use in schools to access education and learning. We use a company called Essex Cares Ltd to order, receive and service the equipment, as well as to store it for future use by other children when no longer needed in a setting.  The child does not need to have an EHCP to have this equipment but it is usually requested by physios and OTs (or ourselves) via Uniqus and my team authorises the spend - it comes out of the Education budget.  We do not purchase mobility equipment such as wheelchairs as this is funded via Health.  Smaller items of non-health equipment such as specialist mice and writing slopes etc are ordered by my team without use of a third party company.  Happy to discuss further with you:  jo.lambert@essex.gov.uk

Hi Kim - our process in Warwickshire is very similar to the one described by Jo in Essex. Our Integrated Community Equipment is jointly commissioned by health, social care and education.  OTs and Physios prescribe the equipment and the Education funds what is used in schools and settings, regardless of whether a CYP has an EHCP. We occasionally fund wheelchairs / scooters in secondary if the pupil doesn't meet health's criteria for a chair.

In Gloucestershire seating & mobile hoists are provided via OT & so funded by NHS.