Equipment: is it the Answer? An Audit of Equipment Provision

Author: Chamberlain Elaine   Evans Nina   Neighbour Kate   Hughes Juliet  

Publisher: College of Occupational Therapists

ISSN: 1477-6006

Source: The British Journal of Occupational Therapy, Vol.64, Iss.12, 2001-12, pp. : 595-600

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

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Abstract

The provision of equipment and adaptations is a major part of the social services occupational therapist's role and is, therefore, an area that needs investigation to ensure that assessed needs are being met effectively and cost-efficiently. This study was an audit that investigated the longer-term usefulness of equipment and adaptations, provided by social services occupational therapists, in enabling service users to perform daily living tasks. The focus of the audit was whether the service users were still using the equipment and/or adaptations provided, and how useful they were finding them, 18 months to 2 years after provision.This was a retrospective audit of a random sample of 100 service users during a specified time scale, using a telephone survey for data collection. Fifty-seven telephone questionnaires were completed.The clearest finding was that the majority (83%) of the equipment and adaptations issued between 18 months and 2 years previously were still being used at the time of this audit, with 69% being used on a daily basis. This suggested that the equipment and adaptations provided were being used as an integral part of daily life and that they had been prescribed appropriately. It was also interesting to note that the satisfaction with the equipment and adaptations being used independently was higher than the satisfaction with the equipment and adaptations used with help from others.

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