A new report, published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Access to Disability Equipment, has sparked strong reactions across the healthcare and mobility equipment sectors, with leaders calling for urgent reform to address long-standing systematic failures.
The ‘Barriers to Accessing Lifesaving Disability Equipment’ report highlights a “national crisis” in the provision of essential community care equipment due to fragmentation, underinvestment and a lack of leadership.
More than 600 equipment users, parents, carers, professionals, and suppliers fed into the inquiry, which found evidence of users waiting months and sometimes years for critical care assessments and access to equipment.
The report also revealed that 55% of equipment users don’t have the medical equipment they need for their long-term needs, while 74% of equipment providers said they were aware of patients experiencing delayed hospital discharge.
Leaders in the healthcare equipment sector have welcomed the report but expressed that its findings are all-too familiar.
David Stockdale, Chief Executive of the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA), said: “This report exposes the long-term, systemic challenges that those of us in the sector have been raising for years.
“The entire sector is committed to ensuring people have access to safe, high-quality equipment when they need it, but the lack of national oversight, inconsistent local commissioning, and insecure funding are undermining that goal.”
He added that the report should serve as a catalyst for reform, urging the government to implement a “coordinated national approach with clear accountability, consistent local delivery, and robust long-term investment”.
Richard Holland-Oakes, Co-founder and CEO of Recare, a specialist in mobility and rehabilitation equipment, also voiced his deep concern.
“After 45 years of working in the industry it rather saddens me to know that we’ve now reached crunch time for system-wide reform. The issues revealed in the report are not new - they have been growing for decades and now we’re seeing the consequences – an overwhelmed NHS, disillusioned equipment users and families, and a system that’s failing to deliver,” he said.
Holland-Oakes emphasised that NHS and social care staff are not to blame for system failures, praising their dedication. Instead, he pointed to short-term funding cycles and poor procurement practices as key barriers to effective care.
“NHS budgets restricted to 12 months force purchasing decisions based on upfront cost rather than long-term value. That leads to equipment that’s unsuitable for individual needs, costly repairs, and wasted resources,” he said.
He also referenced the recent collapse of NRS Healthcare as an example of the dangers of fixed-term pricing contracts and noted that charities are increasingly stepping in to fill gaps left by the state, often collaborating to fund equipment that public services cannot provide.
As the UK faces an ageing population and rising demand for complex care and support, sector leaders are urging policymakers to act on the APPG’s recommendations and ensure that disability equipment services are properly supported, sustainably funded, and fit for the future.