caa a22 4500 397577192 CHVBK 20180308164859.0 cr unu---uuuuu 161202e199612 xx s 000 0 eng 10.1093/oxfordjournals.pubmed.a024543 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)oxford-10.1093/oxfordjournals.pubmed.a024543 Provision of environmental control systems in the North West of England [Elektronische Daten] [Paula McDonald, Selwyn St Leger] Background Environmental control systems (ECS) enhance the independence of housebound severely physically disabled people and offer them the prospect of a greater quality of life. A Department of Health scheme has provided ECS to severely disabled people. Provision and quality of provision in the North West were examined. Methods Audit of five years prescriptions within the North West of England was carried out. Postal questionnaires were sent to 41 voluntary and self-help groups. Additional qualitative data were collected by contacting manufacturers and voluntary group advisors. Results Eighty per cent of people referred for assessment received an ECS. However, there was geographical variation in referral rates and a bias toward younger people. There were unexplained variations among the assessors. The commonest diagnoses resulting in referral were multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease and muscular dystrophy. Many other conditions, such as stroke and arthritis, for which an ECS might produce benefit were under-represented. There were some problems with the quality of the service, especially with the time scale of provision. Conclusion It is concluded that doctors and other professionals need a heightened awareness of the categories of person who can benefit from an ECS. Clarification of criteria and training are required if assessors are to be more consistent. Moreover, the mechanism of provision needs review. Public health physicians should re-evaluate their roles in provision, and should concentrate on commissioning an appropriate and good quality service rather than on co-ordination of the scheme. © Oxford University Press Articles nationallicence health needs assessment nationallicence environmental control systems nationallicence physical disability nationallicence medical devices nationallicence McDonald Paula West Pennine Health Authority Westhulme Avenue, Oldham OL1 2PL aut St Leger Selwyn Manchester Health Authority and the University of Manchester School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences Manchester aut Journal of Public Health Oxford University Press 18/4(1996-12), 443-448 1741-3842 18:4<443 1996 18 pubmed https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.pubmed.a024543 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.pubmed.a024543 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- McDonald Paula West Pennine Health Authority Westhulme Avenue, Oldham OL1 2PL aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- St Leger Selwyn Manchester Health Authority and the University of Manchester School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences Manchester aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Journal of Public Health Oxford University Press 18/4(1996-12), 443-448 1741-3842 18:4<443 1996 18 pubmed Metadata rights reserved CC BY-NC-4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-oxford