Mobility aids Poor assessment
Which? Archive
This article, Mobility aids, was last updated on 22 July 2008 and is now out of date and held in our online archive for reference. Explore our latest Home & garden articles.
Proper assessments are vital
When someone is buying a mobility aid, it’s vital that their needs are assessed correctly. As David Yelding from disability charity Ricability warns: ‘The wrong product could actually make their condition worse.’
Experts shocked
Our experts were shocked by the failure of some companies to carry out an assessment, which is required by the BHTA code of practice. They thought that it was imperative for a sales rep to see Yvonne’s husband before selling a product for his use. Only one company, Instant Mobility, asked to do this. The salesman from Bath-Knight seemed oblivious when Yvonne told him that her husband had poor balance.
Senior trading standards officer Neil McLoughlin said: ‘The salesman appeared to ignore Yvonne’s statements that her husband would fall over. And he didn’t seem to care that he had a more suitable product.’ Bath-Knight has disputed our findings and hasn’t commented on this point.
