Community Equipment and Minor Adaptations

This procedure should be used by all Adult Services colleagues to request specialist assessment and/or provision of:

Community equipment: ‘Aids for daily living’, including raised toilet seats, bath seats and boards, perching stools, walking sticks to assist with mobility and walking frames.

Minor adaptations: Costing less than £1,00 that are easily installed e.g. galvanised rails, half steps, lever taps.

Enquiries and referrals for ALL types of equipment or adaptations for Adults is to the Adult Social Care Access Team (ACCESS) and are, as necessary, passed to the Community Occupational Therapy Service (COT).

People can also use the online Equipment Self-Assessment Tool to find out how a piece of equipment may help and then request a loan of items.

See: Milton Keynes Adult Social Care Equipment Self Assessment Tool.

Note: People can have support to use this tool but should enter their own email address.

The Community Occupational Therapy Service (COT) is responsible for:

1. Providing specialist information and advice;
2. Specialist assessments;
3. Gaining appropriate (budget) approval for agreed items;
4. Ordering/liaising with commissioned services to provide agreed items;
5. Maintaining appropriate records;
6. Monitoring use and ongoing need of items.

Under the Care Act 2014 (section 14), all community equipment and minor adaptations 9up to the value of £1000) must be provided free of charge whether provided to meet, prevent or delay needs.

Current charging policies can be found in the Local Resources section:

1. The Charging and Financial Assessment Policy
2. The Community Equipment, Adaptations and Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) policy

Information about maintenance is provided at delivery/ installation

Anyone can return unwanted equipment to the contracted Provider or contact the provider to arrange collection. 

Please refer to the Local Resources section for further information about Community Equipment and Minor Adaptations processes.

For guidance on establishing needs and applying eligibility criteria, Occupational Therapists can also refer to the Community OT section of these procedures.