Motability advice, need help

[steve-b]

Hey all,

 

I was wondering if you could help me at all, mum currently has a electric wheelchair from Route2mobility, she has had it for 9 months and it has caused us nothing but trouble, 2 battery packs, one suspension strut and 7 different callouts later and its still junk with a supposed capacity for 15 miles (that has never done more that 3 and a half without running out of power)

The NHS has now decided that mum is entitled to a chair, which is more suitable for her needs, and mum and her doctor think a motability car would be more benefical in the long term, but is it possible to change over?, because route2mobility is giving us no information whatsoever.

 

Thank you for any advice you may be able to offer

[Dianni]

Hi Steve

 

Have a look at www.motability.co.uk

 

The site is brilliant. I've also had nothing but help from the people on the other end of the phone when I've rung, so don't be scared to ring.

 

I have an NHS elctric chair. It was literally made to measure, and again, they have been really helpful. It weighs a ton so I've not been able to get out and about in it yet because it wont fit in our current motability car, but I get my new one on Wednesday with a hoist. Motability helped me decide which car would be suitable, and helped with a grant towards the Advanced Payment and cost of the adaptations.

 

I can't praise motability highly enough. I'd be completely stuck without their help.

 

Hugs

Di

xxx

[steve-b]

Hi Di and thanks for the reply

 

Ive contacted Motability today and theres a issue. They have said there is no reason why a exchange onto another plan wouldnt be allowed, BUT Route2Motability have mums contract, as they do for anyone who joined before may 2010 (motability only provide the chairs from then, before that they left it to R2M)

 

She said that if mums contract was with Motability, they could do all the paperwork and sort it out, but she said openly that R2M were not known for understanding and are not keen on transfers, since it means they lose custom to Motability.

 

Any advice on how to deal with R2M

 

For info on the issue of R2M see here: http://www.mobilise.info/changes-to-motabi...scooter-scheme/

[Dianni]

Hi Steve

 

Does your mum have a social worker who might be able to support your request to change from R2M? If your mum has an MS nurse, they might also be able to help, as I'm sure this situation will have occurred before in some form or another. To be honest, I've never heard of R2M so maybe someone else will be able to offer more advice.

 

If your mum doesn't have a social worker, her GP can make a referral and you would both then get a lot more advice and support that can be accessed through them.

 

Sorry to not be more helpful.

 

Hugs

Di

xxx

[steve-b]

Well theres no social worker, but the MS nurse has hit a wall too.

 

I spoke with motability and R2M today, Motability were great and said that if we cancelled with the scooter we were welcome onto the car scheme, no problem, which was good, they gave me some advice on how to deal with R2M.

 

R2M were not good at all, they basically said, we had signed for 3 years so thats it, they said the only way we can cancel is if we have been with them for more than 18 months and give them a months notice and a termination fee and a permanent ban from the motability sceme. NONE of this was explained to mum when we signed up to the scheme, paying a fee doesnt bother me, its a fair agreement in that respect and since ill be paying it so mum doesnt have to, i can accept but adding lots of terms and conditions and not informing us is not good.

 

This chair has been a nightmare, too big to fit though some shops, cannot go as far as town and back without losing 85% of its battery, keeps breaking down, plus R2M are about as helpful as a kick in the face!

 

Im sorry if I sound like im moaning, but this has been a 3 month saga and its distressing mum more than its upsetting me. Im really grateful to have somewhere to vent my fustration at the system with people who understand, thank you,

 

(and for Dianni ill explain R2M, Motability didnt used to have its own wheelchair scheme so contacted out to R2M to do it on their behalf, In early 2010 Motability bought out R2M and took over all new contracts, but old ones still run through the old company and is run as a separate entity) Hope that helps

[Christina]

I wonder if it might be a good idea to get some further advice on this, maybe from Citizen's Advice or a Consumer advice line.

 

Chris x