National crisis in access to disability equipment, say MPs

There is a national crisis in community disability equipment services, with 55% of equipment users lacking the necessary medical equipment to meet their long-term care needs.

The new report, “Barriers to Accessing Lifesaving Disability Equipment,” by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Access to Disability Equipment, also found that 63% of parents and carers, and 55% of service users, believe the system is worsening.

Additionally, 74% of disability equipment providers are aware of delayed patient discharges resulting from the unavailability of essential equipment, such as harnesses, grab rails, and hoists. A further 44% of equipment providers say community equipment provision is “not at all consistent and equitable.”

The group chaired by Daniel Francis MP reveals that the crisis is leaving thousands of vulnerable people without the essential medical equipment they need to live safely and independently, with users waiting months and sometimes years for critical care assessments and access to vital medical equipment.

New strategy needed for disability equipment

To tackle the crisis, MPs on the APPG are calling on the 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.

Daniel Francis MP 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 a 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.”

Crisis caused by a lack of accountability and leadership

The APPG inquiry that informed the report took place between July and September 2025. It has uncovered widespread evidence of systemic and, in many cases, unsafe delays. The report found that the crisis is in part caused by regional inequalities and a 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.

The inquiry received responses from 626 survey respondents, including disability equipment users, parents, caregivers, professionals, and suppliers. Many described a system that “barely scrapes the barrel of what people actually need to live their everyday lives”.

Alison Bloomer

Alison Bloomer is Editor of Learning Disability Today.

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