INTRODUCTION
In 2006, Moving Forward, the independent review of wheelchair and seating services, was published.
In response, the Scottish Government (SG) established the Wheelchair and Seating Services (WSS) Project Board to take forward the review's recommendations. In 2009, the WSS Modernisation Action Plan was published.
The Action Plan sets out the direction of travel for the WSS in Scotland over a 3-year period. It forms a programme of service modernisation to introduce service and practice change in keeping with person-centred approaches that are core to the SG's commitment to developing health services with service users as partners.
The Action Plan states that:
"National service and clinical standards will be developed for WSS"
and that:
"National eligibility criteria will be reviewed within the context of other health and social care equipment provision".
The WSS Standards & Eligibility Working Group was established by the Scottish Government to deliver on these actions. The Working Group held its first meeting on 26th January 2010. The Clinical Advisor who was appointed to lead the work of the group took up post on 1st February 2010. The group is due to finish its work by the end of June 2011.