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How long will it take to get equipment or adaptations?

The length of time that it will take to provide equipment or carry out any adaptations depends on many factors. This can include the workloads of the different teams across the county and the availability of disabled facilities grants from the 12 different district councils in Kent. It can also depend on the lead times of manufacturers suppliers and builders and the complexity of what is being proposed. This makes it extremely difficult to accurately advise on how long any particular work may take to complete, however, below is some general guidance as to the possible timescales involved in certain types of work. Once the referral has been made to the OT Service there may be a delay before the case is allocated to a worker. Once a caseworker is identified they will contact the service user (or their representative if required) and arrange to carry out an assessment of their needs.

If the service user requires a piece of equipment which is held in stock by our store this should be delivered within seven working days. Some equipment which is recommended may be provided from a supply of recycled stock. A piece of specialist equipment which needs to be ordered and which may need to be manufactured specially will take longer, depending on the manufacturer.

Most minor adaptations such as the fitting of rails should be carried out within seven working days, depending on the type of work.

A major adaptation of a persons home which involves an application for a disabled facilities grant can be a long process. For even a relatively straight-forward adaptation, such as the installation of a stairlift, this can take several months to arrange and a major adaptation involving structural alterations, planning consent etc. can, in some cases take in excess of a year to complete.

These timescales are only a rough guide and your occupational therapist or rehab will be able to give you more accurate advice on your particular circumstances.

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