Medequip awarded Cornwall community equipment loan service contract
Community Equipment Services provider Medequip has been awarded the Cornwall Community Equipment Loan Service contract by Cornwall Council.
The new service, jointly funded by Cornwall Council and NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB), will commence on 1 October 2024. Its core focus is on enhancing the lives of the community in Cornwall, including the Isles of Scilly, by keeping people independent.
The service will support children and adults who have been assessed by a Health or Social Care Prescriber as requiring specific equipment, with Medequip providing the equipment on loan. Medequip understands that receiving the right equipment at the right time is crucial to the wellbeing of individuals and is committed to providing safe and fully functional equipment that meets their needs.
Medequip has demonstrated its commitment by seamlessly integrating the Out of Hours provision within its South-West region operations early. Since 1 May 2024, Medequip had taken on this element of the current Community Equipment Loan Service, facilitating the delivery and installation of equipment beyond standard operating hours and ensuring that residents receive timely support when they need it most.
Michaela Harris, General Manager at Medequip, explains, “We are excited to work with our new partners and work closely with Prescribers to deliver a service that keeps people independent.
“We understand the importance of empowering individuals to live the life they deserve, and our South West Regional Team, supported by Medequip’s wider support functions, is fully prepared and eager to implement this vital service. We are committed to ensuring that every individual receives the appropriate equipment they need to live a fulfilling life.”
Cornwall Council cabinet member for adult social care and public health Andy Virr said: “Our new partnership will help us to build on the existing provision and develop and integrate additional services so that we have more innovative ways to support people to live independently in their own homes.
“We are doing all we can to help people live in vibrant, safe, supportive communities where people help each other to live well and this new partnership will help us reach that outcome for more of Cornwall’s residents.”
Kate Shields, Chief Executive, NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board, said: “We are looking forward to working with Medequip to ensure our residents have the equipment they need, in a timely manner, to support their health and wellbeing and enable them to live as independently as possible.”
The scope of service is vast, and it includes not only the supply of equipment but also the delivery and installation, repair, maintenance, collection and recycling. Medequip will ensure that the equipment procured represents the best value in terms of functionality, quality, cost, environmental sustainability and recyclability.
Medequip’s long-term carbon reduction and net-zero plan align with Cornwall Council’s mission to create a carbon-neutral Cornwall, ‘where everyone can start well, live well, and age well in a cleaner, greener environment.’
Medequip understands that change can bring uncertainty, but with a proven track record and experience in implementing new services throughout the UK, Cornwall residents can be assured that Medequip is dedicated to ensuring a seamless transition and will maintain the high standard of service expected, providing uninterrupted access to the vital equipment needed.
This will be done with improved processes, increased equipment availability, and a commitment to delivery efficiencies across the whole county, ensuring that the equipment required reaches people faster and more reliably than ever before.
Last month Medequip held the grand opening of its Bedford depot to mark the successful launch of the Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes community equipment service, which commenced on 1 April 2024.
