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At the BHTA Joint Section Meeting 2026, held on 18 June 2026 at the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire, delegates heard from Ceara Chamberlin, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Newlife, and Daniel Laing, Associate Director of Tendo.
Their session explored the findings of the Children’s Commissioner’s report, ‘Children Waiting to Leave Hospital’, alongside the ongoing work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Access to Disability Equipment.
The session examined the challenges disabled children and their families face when accessing essential equipment and support, and highlighted the growing role of collaboration between charities, industry, and Parliament in improving outcomes.
Introducing Newlife’s work, Ceara explained that the charity provides life-changing specialist disability equipment to thousands of disabled children across the UK through grants and emergency loans, helping them access school, participate in their communities, and experience the joys of childhood.
She then examined the report, which found that thousands of children who are medically fit to leave hospital remain there because appropriate support is unavailable. More than 260,000 children spend three weeks or more in hospital, almost 35,000 remain for longer than three months, and more than 11,000 spend over a year in hospital, often missing out on family life, education, and play.
The report identifies several causes of delayed discharge, including fragmented services, shortages of care placements, inconsistent community support, and delays to housing adaptations and specialist equipment.
The report recommends stronger joint commissioning across health services, local authorities, and schools, improved data on discharge delays, greater support for children’s homecare services, better access to housing adaptations, and increased investment through the Disabled Facilities Grant.
Building on the report’s findings, Ceara said equipment should be considered an integral part of discharge planning rather than an afterthought. As more care is delivered closer to home, timely access to equipment is increasingly enabling both safe discharge and childhood, reinforcing the need for stronger integration between health, social care, and education.
Ceara also highlighted the importance of better data to demonstrate both the scale of delayed discharge and the preventative value of equipment. Improved evidence, she suggested, would strengthen the case for investment by showing how timely provision can prevent hospital admissions as well as support earlier discharge. She concluded by recognising the important role charities continue to play in filling gaps in statutory provision, while noting that families should not have to rely on charitable support to access essential equipment.
The second half of the session focused on the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Access to Disability Equipment, established in 2025 to improve parliamentary understanding of the barriers preventing timely access to specialist equipment.
Daniel explained how the APPG brings together parliamentarians, the BHTA, Newlife, Whizz Kidz, and other organisations to improve understanding of community equipment and inform future policy. Since its launch, the group has grown to more than 40 parliamentarians, launched a national inquiry, and published recommendations on improving access to disability equipment.
He also described how the APPG’s work is helping to raise the profile of community equipment within Parliament, with debates, parliamentary questions, and proposed legislative amendments increasingly reflecting the issues identified through the APPG’s evidence gathering.
The session concluded by reinforcing the importance of continued collaboration between charities, industry, healthcare professionals, and policymakers. As discussions around children’s services, integrated care, and community equipment continue to develop, improving access to specialist equipment remains a key part of enabling disabled children to leave hospital sooner, participate more fully in everyday life, and receive the support they need closer to home.
BHTA members involved in community equipment, independent living aids, mobility support, and assistive technology services are encouraged to review this tender opportunity from Cheshire West and Chester Council for an integrated community equipment service across Cheshire West, Cheshire East, and NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board users.
The service includes a wide range of community equipment, from simple daily living aids such as wheeled walkers, raised toilet seats, and commodes, through to more complex equipment including profiling beds, hoists, and specialised seating. Equipment will be provided to individuals for short- or long-term use, depending on assessed need, and will be collected, refurbished, recycled, or replaced when no longer required.
The contract is intended to support the timely provision of community equipment, helping people live safely and independently at home, supporting hospital discharge, preventing avoidable admissions, and assisting carers.
The council is procuring a loan-based community equipment service covering the full lifecycle of loaned equipment. Equipment will be used by eligible service users across the participating local authority and health partners.
This is an open procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 and is being run under the light touch regime. Cheshire West and Chester Council will hold the contract and pay invoices, with Cheshire East Council and NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board also able to call off equipment through the service.
The contract is demand based, with no guaranteed volumes or product types. The successful provider must be able to supply all listed items, as well as specials where required. The tender allows for additional and different equipment to be called off during the contract period to meet changing service user needs.
This tender is suitable for SMEs and larger providers able to deliver a full loan-based community equipment service, manage equipment lifecycle requirements, respond to variable demand, and source specialist items where needed.
The tender will be evaluated on price, weighted at 50 percent; quality, weighted at 40 percent; and social value, weighted at 10 percent.
Providers may be able to sign up to an early payment scheme, with details available in the tender pack.
Submit tenders electronically via The Chest.
Tenders and questions must be submitted by 10am on 11 June 2026.
Access the full tender documentation, including specifications and terms, through the portal link above.
Enquiries should be directed to Cheshire West and Chester Council: centralprocurement@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.
BHTA members supplying healthcare and mobility equipment are encouraged to review a new tender opportunity launched by NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS).
NHS SBS has issued a major framework tender for the provision of Community and Acute Equipment and Services, including continence products and delivery. The framework, reference SBS10525, aims to establish a comprehensive supply route for NHS and social care organisations across the UK. The total estimated value of the framework is £500 million (excluding VAT), running for a period of four years from 4 January 2027 to 3 January 2031.
The framework is divided into five lots:
Community and Acute Equipment – aids to daily living, moving and handling, clinical furniture, patient treatment couches, with associated repair and maintenance services.
Lot value: £500 million (excluding VAT)
Beds and Mattresses – manual and electric beds, static, dynamic and hybrid mattresses, and seating.
Lot value: £500 million (excluding VAT)
Wheelchairs – standard, bariatric, paediatric and portering models, with related servicing.
Lot value: £500 million (excluding VAT)
Combined Lot – a one-stop option for suppliers awarded to two or more lots, supporting integrated or managed service models.
Lot value: £500 million (excluding VAT)
Continence Products Home Delivery Service – supply and delivery of continence and self-care products for use in home settings.
Lot value: £500 million (excluding VAT)
Suppliers may bid for one or more lots. NHS SBS notes that sustainability and social value will form a significant part of the evaluation criteria.
Tenders must be submitted electronically via the SAP Ariba portal.
This framework will support NHS and social care organisations in procuring essential community and acute equipment efficiently and ethically. SMEs, VCSEs, and established suppliers of healthcare products and services are encouraged to review the full tender documentation and consider participation.
For further information, suppliers can contact nsbs.categorymanagementsourcing@nhs.net.
The House of Lords recently held a debate examining the UK Government’s plans to publish a strategy for wheelchair provision through NHS and social care services. The question was raised by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, who opened the discussion by highlighting long-standing systemic issues within wheelchair and community equipment provision.
Responding on behalf of the government, Baroness Merron acknowledged the concerns raised across the debate. She confirmed, however, that the government has no plans to publish a national strategy for wheelchair provision, a point that drew disappointment from many peers.
The debate explored wide-ranging issues including service fragmentation, delays in assessments and repairs, unsuitable equipment, lack of national oversight, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the human impact on independence and dignity.
Watch the debate here. Begins at 12:53:10.
Peers highlighted significant inconsistencies in wheelchair and community equipment provision across England. Lord Hunt observed that services are “inconsistent and under-resourced,” noting that each local authority and integrated care board (ICB) operates differently, resulting in a postcode lottery.
Lord Kamall outlined stark disparities in eligibility criteria between regions. For example:
Lord Kamall said: “A delay in receiving a wheelchair is not simply an inconvenience or statistic, it is a barrier to living a fuller life.”
These differences affect who qualifies for a wheelchair, the type of equipment provided, and the level of support available. NHS England’s dataset shows significant regional variation in meeting the 18-week waiting-time standard. Data provided by the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) was also cited in the debate, showing that only around 80 percent of users receive a wheelchair or modification within 18 weeks—below the national 92 percent target—with even longer waits for people with complex needs. in meeting the 18‑week waiting-time standard.
Peers also drew on detailed evidence from national reports. The Wheelchair Alliance report highlighted inconsistent provision, long delays in assessment, unsafe temporary equipment use, and a lack of clear repair pathways. It showed how inadequate provision undermines independence, contributes to deterioration in physical and mental health, and delays discharge.
The APPG for Disability Equipment report about community equipment services described the system as inconsistent, underinvested, fragmented and lacking leadership. It identified staff shortages, supply chain weaknesses, recycling delays, dependency on single contracted providers, and widespread dissatisfaction among users and carers with current provision.
Peers shared examples illustrating the impact of delays and bureaucratic barriers. Lord Harries recounted the case of Rhys Porter, a young man with cerebral palsy who went two years without essential equipment, leaving his family to manage unsafe manual handling that put them all at risk.
Peers described consequences including loss of independence, avoidable deterioration in health, delayed hospital discharge, social isolation, and increased pressure on carers.
The Wheelchair Alliance report further documented how inadequate equipment provision leads to preventable complications and unnecessary healthcare use.
Several peers, including Baroness Lane‑Fox, highlighted how wheelchair and equipment provision affects employment. She argued that these services form part of the national employment infrastructure because many disabled people cannot access or sustain work without the right equipment.
Baroness Lane-Fox stated: “We often file wheelchair and CES services under health and social care; in reality, they ought to be part of our national employment infrastructure. When services fail, people don’t just lose their mobility, they lose their ability to contribute.”
Delays and unsuitable equipment prevent people from accepting job offers, participating in education, or contributing to the workforce.
Lord Rennard expanded on this point, stating: “Fundamentally, what we need to address is balancing the costs of the provision of wheelchairs and community equipment with long‑term benefits including preventing accidents, reducing the need for health care intervention in future, enabling people with disabilities to work, pay taxes, and reduce their dependency on benefits, whilst at the same time significantly increasing emotional wellbeing for many families.”
Concerns were raised about outdated or unsuitable NHS‑provided wheelchairs. Several peers noted that many commonly issued models remain heavy, steel‑framed, and difficult to transport, contrasting them with modern lightweight designs.
Assessments were criticised for failing to consider lifestyle, employment, and daily activity needs; in some cases, users were forced to purchase their own equipment. Baroness Brinton recounted her own experience of being deemed ineligible for an electric chair despite clinical advice, ultimately having to privately fund her own wheelchair.
Baroness Brinton and Lord Rennard highlighted structural weaknesses in commissioning and procurement. The APPG for Disability Equipment recommended more strategic commissioning practices, better alignment between local authorities and ICBs, and improved oversight to ensure service continuity and quality.
The APPG report identified additional challenges:
These issues undermine quality, consistency, and long‑term service sustainability, with direct implications for both users and providers.
Across the House, peers argued for a national strategy to address variation, modernise equipment provision, improve commissioning, and introduce clearer accountability. Suggestions included national leadership and oversight, standardised eligibility and quality criteria, a shift from lowest‑cost procurement to value‑based procurement, and long‑term investment to support modernisation and prevent system fragility.
Lord Hunt argued that many issues could be resolved with national coordination, while Lord Shinkwin and others warned that current failures represent a false economy.
Responding for the UK Government, Baroness Merron acknowledged the problems described but emphasised that responsibility for commissioning wheelchair and community equipment services lies primarily with ICBs and local authorities.
She stated that there are no plans to publish a national strategy for wheelchair provision. Instead, she pointed to existing frameworks such as the Wheelchair Quality Framework, the NHS 10‑year health plan, and Personal Wheelchair Budgets, which are intended to support local improvement.
Baroness Merron acknowledged persistent delays, citing pandemic‑related backlogs and fluctuating referral rates. She highlighted requirements for ICBs to reduce waiting times over 18 weeks and eliminate 52‑week waits, with performance monitored through the Community Health Services Situation Report.
She also emphasised the need for integrated working between ICBs and local authorities, stating that improvements must be driven locally through existing structures rather than through a new national strategy.
A new report, published today by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Access to Disability Equipment, reveals a national crisis in community equipment services.
The BHTA and Newlife, supported by Tendo, helped parliamentarians launch the APPG for Disability Equipment Access. The BHTA continues to support the APPG for Access to Disability Equipment.
The new report details findings from the APPG’s inquiry into community care equipment and barriers to access.
Community equipment provides children, adults, and elderly people with disabilities or temporary care needs with often vital equipment, such as harnesses, grabrails, and hoists. However, the report has found that almost three-quarters of people feel that systems providing community equipment is not meeting their needs.
According to the report, the crisis is leaving thousands of vulnerable people without the essential medical equipment they need to live safely and independently. The summer-long inquiry found the issue is systemic. The sector is unable to innovate and is held back by a creaking system, carers are unable to dedicate sufficient time towards patients, and patients themselves reporting the system simply does not work for them.
The report has found evidence of users waiting months and sometimes years for critical care assessments and access to critical medical equipment.
Entitled ‘Barriers to Accessing Lifesaving Disability Equipment’, the report found that:
Commenting on the report findings, David Stockdale, Chief Executive of the 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.
“We urgently need a coordinated national approach that provides clear accountability, consistency across local areas, and robust, long-term investment. This report should serve as a catalyst for reform, ensuring the essential services that so many rely on are properly supported, resourced, and fit for the future.”
The APPG inquiry that fed into the report ran between July and September 2025. It has uncovered widespread evidence of systemic and in many cases unsafe delays.
The report found the crisis is in part caused by regional inequalities and the lack of national accountability, direction, and leadership. It concludes that long-term systemic fragmentation, underinvestment, and absence of political leadership are leaving vulnerable people and their families without the basic tools they need for dignity and independence.
To tackle the crisis, MPs on the APPG are calling on the UK Government to work with patients, carers, and industry to launch a dedicated strategy for community care equipment, overseen by a named Minister with clear responsibility for its delivery.
Launching the report in Parliament today, Daniel Francis MP, Chair of the APPG, said: “Across hundreds of testimonies, one message came through loud and clear: the system designed to support disabled children and adults is failing them. It is failing to deliver equipment on time, failing to provide the right support, and failing to listen to the very people it exists to serve.
“Under the current system we’re seeing children missing school, adults being forced out of work and carers injuring themselves. It’s failing patients, carers, and the sector alike, and it’s high time for the Government to get a grip.
“Access to community equipment is not privilege, it’s a daily necessity. We need a National Strategy for Community Equipment and clear leadership and accountability in its delivery. Ensuring everyone is given the right support at the right time is simply a matter of political will and commitment.”
The inquiry heard from 626 survey respondents, including equipment users, parents, carers, professionals, and suppliers. Many described a system that “barely scrapes the barrel of what people actually need to live their everyday lives”.
One equipment user told the APPG: “The delay has disabled me more and had a really negative impact on my mental health.”
Another parent said: “My child is being stunted by unsuitable equipment, missing vital years of development.”
Key report recommendations to government include reform funding and commissioning to focus on quality, not just cost, and support sustainable innovation, alongside reduce waiting times and delays through workforce investment and better coordination between the NHS and local authorities.
In addition, the report suggests that the government improves communication and transparency with families and carers through a national framework and central data monitoring; strengthens reuse and recycling systems so equipment no longer sits unused while others go without; and creates a National Advisory Board to give equipment users and carers a real voice in service design and delivery.
The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) has welcomed Urathon as a new member, which provides high-quality community equipment that helps people live more independently and comfortably.
The BHTA recently caught up with Lucy Carson, COO & Finance Director at Urathon, to learn more about the firm’s commitment to quality community equipment; future plans; and the value it sees in joining the BHTA’s trusted network that offers industry support, shared values, and opportunities for collaboration and development.
Lucy has gained experience across a diverse range of industries, from working with a company that owned a chain of 150 pubs and clubs, to a large corporate wire and cable manufacturing business, and more recently, a small local printing firm.
“My roles have always been rooted in finance and accounting, giving me a strong understanding of both large-scale operations and close-knit, community-driven businesses,” she explained.
Urathon is a community equipment provider that works with local authorities, healthcare providers, and retail partners to make sure its products truly meet the needs of the people who use them.
“Our focus has always been on quality, innovation, and care — making a real difference in everyday life,” Lucy said.
Urathon recently welcomed two university graduates to the team, who are helping elevate the provider’s marketing and social media presence while also supporting sales efforts. Lucy enthused: “It’s been great bringing in some fresh ideas and energy!”
Lucy explained when she came across the BHTA: “I first heard about the BHTA when I saw all the fantastic support they were offering following the collapse of NRS, and it really highlighted how valuable the association is to our industry.
“It showed me that the BHTA isn’t just about membership — it’s about community, guidance, and standing together as a sector.”
For Urathon, being a BHTA member means that the company is part of a trusted network that shares its values of quality, integrity, and professionalism.
The BHTA also provides timely access to industry insights, best practices, and networking opportunities that are not available elsewhere, which will all help Urathon grow and continue improving the services it offers to customers.
Urathon will be attending the OT Show for the first time this year and has just secured a bigger stand.
On 4 December, Urathon will be attending the British Healthcare Trades Industry Awards 2025, which provides an excellent opportunity to network and celebrate the healthcare industry’s success.
Urathon also recently achieved ISO 9001 accreditation, which is a huge milestone for the company and Lucy’s team.
Looking ahead, Urathon is excited to be launching some new and innovative products for the retail sector in 2026. The firm will be attending Naidex again next year with an even bigger stand.
Lucy also has a big aspiration for Urathon next year: “My goal is for Urathon to be nominated for a BHTA Award in 2026.”
To find out more about how the BHTA can support your business and how to become a BHTA member, visit this page.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Access to Disability Equipment has launched its first inquiry to explore the barriers preventing people with disabilities from accessing the medical equipment they need.
The inquiry aims to support policy discussions and recommendations that improve access to essential community equipment, reduce inequalities, and promote best practice and innovation in commissioning, funding, and service delivery.
It will focus on four key areas:
As part of the inquiry, the APPG has launched a call for evidence, open until 22 August. The APPG is inviting professionals including medical equipment suppliers and healthcare workers as well as individuals with disabilities, their families, and carers to participate. To contribute, complete this short survey accessible via this link.
Commenting, Daniel Francis MP, Chair of the APPG for Access to Disability Equipment said: “For someone with a disability, access to medical equipment is a lifeline. It enables independent living and brings dignity, opportunity, and freedom. So it is deeply upsetting that so many people in the UK can’t get the equipment they need.
“Everyone should have access to the right equipment at the right time.
“But for this to happen, we must truly understand the root causes of these prevailing barriers to access impacting so many families. This means hearing directly from those impacted, including the carers, professionals, and equipment suppliers all working to make the provision of essential medical equipment more efficient, effective, faster and fairer for all those who depend on it.”
The inquiry questions are seeking answers to the following seven broad themes:
The BHTA and Newlife, supported by Tendo, helped parliamentarians launch the APPG for Disability Equipment Access on 14 May 2025. Find out more about the inaugural APPG meeting and BHTA’s involvement in this post.
Medequip is the UK’s market-leading provider of community equipment and complementary services to local authorities and the National Health Service (NHS). Medequip’s services enable individuals to live independently at home for longer, alleviating pressures on the NHS and other healthcare services. Located in Harmondsworth, close to Heathrow Airport, and with turnover of over £200m, Medequip employs more than 1,000 people.
James Ibbotson, CEO of Medequip looks forward to the collaboration with Medux. “This partnership is a major step forward for Medequip. By working alongside Medux, we can capitalise on its vast experience as the market leader in the Netherlands and further accelerate Medequip’s growth. Medux has an impressive reputation in the Dutch equipment market, and we look forward to our exciting future together with great confidence.”
With a shared focus on ensuring healthcare remains affordable and accessible with an efficient supply of products and services, both Medux and Medequip have strong reputations amongst end users, prescribers and clients. In the Netherlands, Medux supplies more than 1.5 million medical devices annually via its brands Medipoint, HartingBank and Atlas Kidtech. In the UK Medequip visits more than 1.3 million customers every year delivering community equipment services, technology enabled care services (TECS), planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and minor adaptations. By joining forces, Medux and Medequip will strengthen their services and broaden their customer bases.
“This is a big step forward for Medux”, says Jop Pollmann, CEO of Medux, “We are strengthening our position in the European equipment market; a market that is growing rapidly due to the ageing population and government policies to enable people to live at home independently for longer. This is something we are very familiar with and which provides significant opportunities for both Medux and Medequip.”
David Weavers, Partner at Clearwater International who advised Medequip states: “It’s been a pleasure to work with the Siddall family and the management team of Medequip. Medux has committed to further investment which will benefit the company and its various stakeholders. We wish both companies every success for the future.”
The organisations will continue to operate independently of each other. The proposed structure was submitted to the Dutch Healthcare Authority (Nederlandse Zorgautoriteit, NZa) for approval, the relevant regulatory authority in the Netherlands.