The Bowley Close Rehabilitation Centre
7 reviewsReviews
I had been referred there by Tower Hamlets Wheelchair Service as I had moved to Southwark from east London. Initially it was for wheelchair servicing and repairs. As my wheelchair was old and it was impossible to get parts in order to repair it they decided that I should have a new one. I went to Bowley Close for an assessment and it was very detailed. I was measured, the chair was measured and adjusted to my needs. I was asked about how and where my severe arthritis affected me and again the wheelchair was adjusted to my needs. I was allowed to try it out at the centre and just three weeks after that it was delivered to my home and I went through all the paperwork and went for a drive outside my home to see how I was able to use it. It was signed over to me on semi-permanent loan. I was very pleased with the service.
Terrible service. They tell you from the start that they don't cover basic needs and you need to go to a charity for funding. Then they tell you because you helped fund the chair they will not service it or help if something goes wrong. They are quite happy to make you rely on ambulance stretcher and paramedics to get about. They cannot even provide a chair to keep your child alive. This is apparently an added luxury.
I had orthotics made. Good service and caring orthotists
Provided me a wheelchair that was too heavy to push myself. Then added a power pack that was too heavy for us to use. No mention was made of vouchers. Been going for years and ended up buying my own wheelchairs. Do not listen at all to what you need.
This is an update - the review from Nov 2014 is from me, and I wanted to comment as I went back to Bowley Close for a reasssessment, as I'd asked about getting a lighter wheelchair.
I didn't think I'd be eligible for anything lighter than the Action 3 I was issued with in 2014, and was expecting to have to go down the voucher route. However I was reassessed, and the woman assessing me issued a rigid active-user chair. She did say I could take the voucher if I wanted to, but the chair I tested out met my requirements spot on!
It'll be a few weeks until it arrives, but so far I've been pleasantly surprised by my interactions with Bowley Close.
The only negative was the waiting time for an appointment - I was advised it could be up to 6 months, though I got seen earlier than that because I was able to take a short-notice cancellation appointment.