Power Wheelchair Prescription | The Assessment Process
How does power wheelchair prescription actually work? A step-by-step look at assessment, trial, and funding for power wheelchairs under the NDIS.
Owen Clark
9/28/20262 min read
Power Wheelchair Prescription: The Assessment Process Explained
A power wheelchair can be life-changing but it's also a significant, high-cost, high-complexity piece of equipment and prescribing the right one requires a detailed, individualised assessment process. Here's what's generally involved.
Step 1: Initial Assessment
The process begins with a comprehensive functional and clinical assessment, covering:
Current mobility status and limitations
Postural needs and seating requirements
Cognitive and perceptual factors relevant to safe driving
Home and community environment - doorways, thresholds, transport, terrain
The person's goals for the equipment
This isn't just about whether someone can operate a power wheelchair - it's about understanding the full picture of how the chair will be used across their daily life.
Step 2: Equipment Trial
Because power wheelchairs are complex and expensive, a trial period with loan or demonstration equipment is standard practice before a final recommendation is made. This allows the OT to observe how the client manages the chair in real environments, not just in a showroom, including navigating their home, transferring in and out, and managing controls.
Trials often reveal important details that wouldn't be obvious from assessment alone, such as how a particular drive control suits the client's hand function, or whether a specific chair configuration fits through the doorways in their home.
Step 3: Seating and Configuration
Power wheelchair prescription is closely tied to seating and positioning. The chair's base, seating system and control interface all need to work together to support the person's posture, pressure management and function. This is particularly important for clients with progressive conditions, where the seating system may need to accommodate future changes.
Step 4: Clinical Justification and Report
Once the right equipment has been identified, a detailed report is prepared to support the funding request. This report needs to clearly link the recommended equipment to the client's functional needs, explain why alternative or lower-cost options aren't suitable, and reference the outcomes observed during the trial period.
Step 5: Quote and Funding Submission
The final step involves obtaining a formal quote from an approved AT supplier, which is submitted alongside the clinical report for funding approval typically through the NDIS, though the same general process applies across other schemes such as NDIS, DVA, TAC or NIISQ.
Step 6: Delivery, Fitting, and Training
Once approved, the chair is fitted and adjusted to the individual, and training is provided to the client and, where relevant, their support network, covering safe operation, charging, basic maintenance and what to do if something isn't working as expected.
Ongoing Review
Power wheelchair needs can change over time, particularly for clients with progressive conditions. Periodic review helps ensure the chair continues to meet the person's needs and that any emerging issues with seating, controls or function are addressed before they become significant problems.
Onward Health prescribes power wheelchairs and complex mobility equipment for clients across the Sunshine Coast and surrounding catchment. Get in touch to discuss a referral or assessment.
