At last month’s British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) joint meeting for the Children’s Equipment, Independent Living, and Mobility sections, Chris Woods MBE from Flying Disabled and Josh Wintersgill from ableMove discussed wheelchairs in aircraft cabins and some of the barriers around flying as a wheelchair user.
The first-ever BHTA joint section meeting took place on 5 July 2023 at the Walton Hall Hotel and Spa in Warwickshire. It offered educational presentations for attendees and demonstrated the value of being a BHTA member.
During their presentation, ‘Wheelchairs in the cabin’, Chris and Josh highlighted an innovative aircraft prototype that allows powerchair users to stay in their own chair for the entire journey when flying on an aeroplane.
The powerchair prototype is part of the Air4All campaign launched by a consortium made up of PriestmanGoode, Flying Disabled, and SWS Certification, which raises awareness of the issues wheelchair users face when flying.
Typically, wheelchairs cannot get down aircraft aisles. The interesting prototype, which is based on the Sunrise Medical Quickie Q100 powerchair, means the user can stay in their own powerchair, which simply slots in the place of an aeroplane seat at the front of the plane.
It works by changing an aircraft seat for an able-bodied individual to being accessible for wheelchair users. This prototype would remove transfers altogether, enables the user to stay in their own wheelchair, and improves dignity for users.
See the prototype in action in this video.
As the prototype is based on one powerchair model, the consortium is aiming to create a prototype that works for many different powered and manual wheelchair models. Air4All’s current focus is powerchairs, but it will explore manual wheelchairs with custom seating for those with postural needs in the future.
ableMove is also looking at developing a postural seat to go over aircraft seats, for those with complex needs, as a medium-term solution while aircraft standards and designs improve.
Josh and Chris stressed that wheelchair manufacturers should educate airlines on the range of barriers users face when flying and work with them to help drive positive change.
Earlier this month, Glynn Jones from the Bank of England gave an important presentation to British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) members about the UK’s economic outlook.
The talk took place at the BHTA’s inaugural joint meeting for the Children’s Equipment, Independent Living, and Mobility sections on 5 July 2023. This event ran at the Walton Hall Hotel and Spa in Warwickshire and provided insightful presentations for attendees and demonstrated the value of being a BHTA member.
One of the key presentations from the day was from Glynn with a UK economy forecast.
He explained that trade shock has negatively impacted the UK economy, including challenges around export and import. Inflationary pressures means that the UK has been poorer overall.
The most recent UK economy forecasts – from May 2023 – reveal that:
See below some interesting slides from Glynn’s presentation about Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation trends and forecasts.
However, inflation coming down will be slower than its sharp increase. As the UK imports a lot of food and energy, this has caused major inflation. Supply-side shocks are also a big factor, added Glynn.
Additionally, wage inflation has increased. Employers, on average, are offering two to three percent pay increases. If margins have been squeezed and there are no productivity gains within firms, this all means companies have to increase their prices, he underlined.
The UK’s labour market is tight because of inactivity due to sickness and ill health, such as anxiety, long waiting lists, and mental health decline, Glynn pointed out. The upside, he continued, is that there has been growth in employment in the UK. Last year, unemployment was at the lowest it had been in 50 years.
Looking at gross domestic product (GDP) growth, the demand outlook for May 2023 is stronger than February 2023, partly owing to lower energy prices. GDP growth is positive throughout, Glynn added, rising by a quarter of a percent in 2023 and forecasted to rise by three quarters of a percent in 2024 and 2025.
In the near term, unfortunately, growth prospects within the UK remain weak. Find out more in the slide below.
Andrew Stevenson, British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) President and Wheelchair Alliance Committee Member, recently gave an update on the Wheelchair Alliance at the BHTA’s inaugural joint meeting for the Children’s Equipment, Independent Living, and Mobility sections.
The event took place on 5 July 2023 at the Walton Hall Hotel and Spa in Warwickshire, which provided informative and engaging presentations for attendees and demonstrated the value of being a BHTA member.
One of the highlights from the day was Andrew’s presentation about the Wheelchair Alliance.
The Wheelchair Alliance is a community interest company that has been set up by NHS England with a goal of improving wheelchair provision in England. Its vision is to transform the experience of wheelchair users in England through improved access, quality, and effectiveness of services.
See below some slides about the Wheelchair Alliance’s vision, mission, and operational plan for 2023-2027.
Importantly, BHTA has a seat on the Wheelchair Alliance board to ensure that the voices of product suppliers, commissioned service providers, retailers, and associated businesses are represented at all times.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when most in-house wheelchair services closed, the BHTA set up a wheelchair working group. This group saw some of the UK’s major wheelchair service providers come together to ensure that, while the NHS was under extreme pressure, the needs of wheelchair users were fully supported and that services continued operating.
Now, the BHTA is looking to develop this wheelchair working group further via the Wheelchair Alliance. The alliance’s wheelchair working group wants more BHTA members involved, including not just wheelchair suppliers but members involved in specialist seating and posture and mobility.
It means BHTA members will have a chance to have direct input at board meetings with the Wheelchair Alliance where relevant.
For BHTA members looking to get involved with the Wheelchair Alliance, they should get in touch with their membership engagement management for further details.
On Wednesday 5 July 2023, the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) held its first joint meeting for the Children’s Equipment, Independent Living, and Mobility sections, which received high praise from attendees.
The event took place in the scenic countryside setting of Walton Hall Hotel and Spa in Warwickshire, where guests were served arrival tea, coffee, and pastries, along with a buffet lunch.
It was a chance for BHTA members and key stakeholders to come together face-to-face to network and gain insights from knowledgeable speakers on a diverse range of relevant and important topics.
The following sessions took place:
BHTA members could also attend a 1:1 export clinic with the Institute of Export and International Trade.
Reflecting on the event, David Stockdale, BHTA Chief Executive, said: “This was the first time we’ve held a joint section meeting for the Children’s Equipment, Mobility, and Independent Living sections, and it is great to see how well the event has been received by members.
“We are continually looking at ways to improve BHTA membership to ensure it is relevant, beneficial, and valuable. This joint meeting is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when we collaborate across sections and underlines just one of the benefits of being a BHTA member.
“Thank you to all of our speakers and members who attended for making the day a big success.”
The joint section meeting has also had a positive response from BHTA members.
Hayley Phillippault, Chair of BHTA Children’s Equipment section, commented: “We brought together a diverse group of speakers to address topics that matter to members across the sections, from the future of the UK economy to new innovations in accessible aviation.
“From my perspective as Chair of the Children’s Equipment section, the session delivered by Gulvinder Kaur from Taylor Price Solicitors on EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans) was particularly enlightening. I have already shared some of the advice she gave in her presentation with a parent currently going through the EHCP process.
“In each session speakers provided actionable advice and resources to the members who attended, which underlines the practical value to members of BHTA membership.”
Veronica Downing, Vice Chair of BHTA’s Independent Living (Retailers) section, remarked: “The whole day’s programme was interesting and informative, even if, as a retailer, Rehability does not export and import goods directly!
“Although I am not an economist, the presentation by Glynn Jones from the Bank of England was fascinating, understandable, and it was so helpful to see the issues of finance, legislation and the economy that are impacting on the healthcare industry within the context of the UK, Europe and globally and how they impact on our own businesses and the consumer.
“In the afternoon, case studies and videos of practical demonstrations of equipment, design in the making and real-life application to improve wheelchair users experience as air passengers helped to break up more intensely informative sessions.”
Simon Tempest, Vice Chair of BHTA’s Mobility section, said: “I thought the day was very well put together, the venue, the speakers, and the content were all well organised. It was also a good opportunity for networking and spending time with industry experts I would not usually get the time with.
“My highlights were the presentation and insight from the Bank of England, as well as the regulatory segment. I also enjoyed the presentation about the potential for individuals to have the ability to travel with their powerchair or mobility device directly on an aircraft.”
Stephen Kirkpatrick, Vice Chair of BHTA’s Children Equipment section, added: “The sessions that were provided by consultant speakers were educational and incredibly relevant to inform the complexities of operating in provision to today’s healthcare market in the UK, particularly the import, export and shipping sessions that helped to distill much of the operational requirements as well as conformity to regulation into an easy-to-understand session.
“My key highlight was the education, health and care plan session presented by Gurvinder Kaur. This subject holds great relevance to us as assistive technology suppliers to the home and school markets and the deeper understanding can help us in turn to inform healthcare professionals and families on their statutory rights to optimised and supported provisions that enable maximised opportunities to access to learning.
“Following years of online meetings, it was incredible to come together as separate sections to share a joint experience full of informative and engaging subjects with highly knowledgeable speakers. Amazing things happen when we come together and we engage.”