Top Tips for Choosing the Right Health Aid

A local authority nearby recently disclosed that they receive an average of one call per hour from residents encountering issues with a mobility aid supplier or the product itself. It is entirely unacceptable for something intended to enhance health to cause additional difficulties, and so we've crafted the following article to help you be better prepared when purchasing. Being more informed can lead to better value and more effective use of everything we purchase and especially when it comes to health aids.

Disability aids can assist us in living more independently when we face challenges such as mobility, communication, managing fall risks, and daily activities. Even minor adjustments can have a significant positive impact, but understanding what's available, what suits your needs, and how to find the best product for the task can be difficult.

COGNEWS has two sponsors in this area: Alliance Norse - Staffordshire Moorlands disabled facilities grant service and n-able, a sister company offering a comprehensive range of products led by Richard Cole. Richard works diligently nationwide to ensure people with health challenges receive fair treatment.

COGNEWS appreciates n-able's ability to operate with a significantly lower profit margin than others in their industry, offering better value for money. Being owned by local authorities, they maintain higher accountability standards and, as the delivery service for the facilities grant, possess expert knowledge of people's needs.

Here are our top tips on getting the item you need:

1. Work out what you need

A good starting point for this is conducting a needs assessment, which can be done either formally or informally. There are a number of ways you can do this:

Informal options

Blue sky thinking - this involves finding a peaceful mindset and considering what you most need to achieve. Sometimes we look at the effect of a problem and not the root cause. By expanding your perspective on the issue, you may uncover unexpected benefits. If anything was possible, how could you accomplish your health goals? From there, trace back to what is currently available or can be developed to discover your own solution.

Google can be useful in this process, though it requires some effort and time, but it can be quite rewarding. I have applied this method numerous times in various situations with great success. Creative thinking is important, and I often ask myself what is currently being used for another purpose that might assist me in this situation. For instance, we invested in Apple Watches to help with fall risks and a robot vacuum to avoid bending, which can also (once trained) return dog toys to the basket—though that's likely beyond its intended use, so I wouldn't recommend it, but it works for us.

Asking Others You could ask friends, family, and your health care team what they think might benefit you and consider their views. I can't stress enough that other people's opinions are just that - you live in your body, and it's your choice.

Charities such as Age UK  offer advice on disability aids.

Formal option

To complete a more formal assessment, contact Staffordshire County Council for a needs assessment. You can do this online, and if you're on a low income, there might be financial support available.

Next you'll need to find a supplier.

2. Finding the best supplier

• One place to start your search is your local council website — In Staffordshire this can be found at Staffordshire Connects which is a Staffordshire County Council Portal to many services

• Another option is to check with industry member associations such as the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) members agree to adhere to a code of conduct, which shows a commitment to providing quality products.

• Living Made Easy’s have an informative site and adhere to six principles, producing clear, accurate, impartial and appropriately researched information and advice, and are well worth a look.

• Take a look at n-able our COGNEWS sponsor, their services can be found in our linked posts below and on their website.

Be sure to look at different products and have a pros and cons list that includes lead times, reviews, warranty, and price. Get at least three quotes whenever possible and keep them to refer back to if needed.

Financing your needs

• Once you know what you are looking for check if there is a suitable item available from a local charity or NHS service renting a product from them will save you forking out.

• Check if you might be eligible for a grant Scope have great information page on this

• Some aids depending on your condition may be available with VAT relief saving 20 per cent on the purchase price be sure to check with your chosen supplier or check out the government guidance

• Be sure to check if there are any ongoing fees payable and check the small print in any contract you sign along with returns policies and cancellation terms.

4. Returning an item if you changed your mind

If you make a good quality assessment and choose a reputable supplier, you are less likely to need to return an item or, worse, have it gathering dust while you're left looking at your empty wallet.

Your rights are different depending on whether something was created just for you (bespoke) or is a standard item from the supplier's catalogue. If you find yourself in a position where your product was supplied correctly, is in good order, and the supplier won't take it back, it might be worth advertising it as an unused item. You won't get all your money back, but it will lessen your loss. If you're nervous about advertising, ask a friend to help.

Returning an item if the goods are faulty

If the product is faulty you have rights, regardless of whether the product is bespoke, or how it was purchased. The Citizens Advice website can help you navigate this and offer the following advise:

If the product is second hand from a trader (a business who sells disability aids), you still have the same rights as you would have if you bought something new.

You have legal rights if the item you bought is:

• broken or damaged — or ‘not of satisfactory quality’

• unusable -or ‘not fit for purpose’

• not what was advertised or doesn’t match the seller’s description

You might be entitled to:

• refund

• repair/replace

• partial refund

If you’ve incurred extra expenses because the product isn’t working, you might be entitled to something over and above the cost of the item. Especially if it’s something that you use regularly to go about your daily life and you can’t manage without it.

6. Staying safe from scams

Be cautious of individuals who call regarding disability aids. Scammers frequently pretend to conduct medical surveys or claim to be contacting you on behalf of the NHS. Their goal is to convince you to agree to a home visit or to share personal information, which they later exploit for scams or theft.

For the most recent updates from the Staffordshire Smart Alert and national guidance, enter "scam" or "fraud" into our search box at the top right of our pages.

7. Additional Help

If you need further help, contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service via phone or webchat. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, apart from on bank holidays, and you can also use Relay UK to get in touch.

If you have issues after buying a disability aid and haven’t been able to sort it out, they have information on solving an ongoing consumer problem with a business seller on their website as well as advice if you have a problem with a disability aids.

A warranty or guarantee adds to your legal rights. Each one is different, and you can find out what you need to know before you buy an extended warranty on GOV.UK.

Top Tips for Choosing the Right Health Aid