Home adaptations

Adaptations are changes to your home that help you and your family live independently with privacy, confidence and dignity.

Stairlifts

If you are having difficulty with day to day activities like getting up and down the stairs because of a medical health condition(s)/ disability and would like to know what would make things easier and safer for you, you can contact the Occupational Therapy Service in Angus and ask for an assessment of your needs. This will be undertaken in your home by a member of the Occupational Therapy Service who will provide you with recommendations which may include the need for a stairlift.

The Occupational Therapy Service will fund stairlifts. This applies to all properties: council, housing association and owner-occupied.

The stairlift will belong to Angus Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP). They will service and maintain the stairlift and remove it when no longer required.

Occupational Therapy will discuss alternative funding options for this type of adaptation should you need it.

Who is involved?

Occupational Therapist (OT) (Angus Council or NHS Tayside)

Your Occupational Therapist is responsible for assessing your needs and agreeing the stairlift, other adaptations and/ or equipment that is essential to allow you to live safely and independently in your home.

Your Occupational Therapist is responsible in determining the need and urgency for the stairlift and in organising the works. Your Occupational Therapist will also ensure that appropriate permission from the owner of the property has been sought prior to any works being carried out.

Contractor

The Occupational Therapy Service has a contract in place for the installation, servicing, maintenance and removal of stairlifts. The agreed contractor will assess the works required, prepare their quote and submit this to your Occupational Therapist for consideration and approval. The contractor is also responsible for raising any issues which may affect the installation of the stairlift.

Admin

Admin staff will raise the orders required for the stairlift and any works deemed necessary. They will monitor the orders and will liaise with your Occupational Therapist if any start dates are provided. Admin staff will reconcile any invoices received and will update our systems to record installation dates.

Others

Other people may need to be involved to agree the installation of a stairlift and any other associated works. We will tell you if this applies to you. If the stairlift is required on stairs that are considered the only access to your property, we will need to liaise with the Fire Service for their approval as well as ensuring the provision is in accordance with the manufactures guidance/ recommendations and any required planning regulations.

Your responsibilities

It is important you understand your need for a stairlift and the arrangements being put in place. You can contact your named Occupational Therapist at any time.
It is important you keep us informed of any changes in your circumstances that may affect the stairlift being considered for you.
Contractors and other personnel will need to visit you, so it is important that you allow these workers into your home. ALWAYS ask to see the caller’s identiﬁcation before allowing them into your home.
You must agree to use the stairlift as instructed to ensure it remains in safe working order.
You must allow annual access as a minimum for the stairlift to be serviced.
You should liaise with Home Insurance provider to check whether the stairlift is covered by your existing policy to ensure you are covered should anyone have an injury whilst the stairlift is in your property.

Funding

Angus Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP) will meet all the required costs for the stairlift installation as well as for any required works. AHSCP will also meet the ongoing yearly servicing costs as well as any other maintenance costs. AHSCP will also meet the removal costs should the stairlift no longer be required.

What happens next?

The stairlift pathway information in the next section gives information on the stages involved. Remember, the timescales for stairlifts can vary and depend on a number of factors. These could include:

the urgency for the stairlift according to the Occupational Therapy assessment
the type of stairlift required – straight or curved
the need for associated works – removal of radiators, electrical work
availability of the contractor to undertake the works
the need for any alternative arrangements while works are being completed

Stairlift pathway

Stage 1 Initial approval in principle

This means an Occupational Therapist has assessed your needs and undertaken a home visit. The Occupational Therapist has also completed a request which has been reviewed and approved by a designated Occupational Therapist/ Team Manager (Occupational Therapy).