• Who are the Community Equipment Services (CES)?
• How do those in need obtain community assistive equipment from the CES ?
• What do I do if I need to return the equipment to the CES?
• How do organisations access the CES?
• How do organisations interested in community equipment contact the CES?

Who are the Community Equipment Services (CES)?

The CES were established in 2003, following Government guidance on the benefits of integrating community equipment services. The service is supplied by Millbrook Healthcare, in Woking.

They aim to provide a comprehensive, professional and responsive service to patients, service users, and clinical practitioners (sometimes referred to as 'prescribers') operating across the whole of the health, social care, and education sectors in Surrey.

They source, supply, delivers, collects, cleans and maintain equipment, that is issued by occupational therapists, physiotherapists, district nurses and others, to help people with disabilities and health problems to return to, or remain in, their homes. They also provide technical support and advice.

How do those in need obtain community assistive equipment from the CES ?

You will need to be assessed to receive the equipment supplied by the CES, please therefore see: How you can receive adult social care services.

Alternatively, if you have specific enquiries about the service, please phone adult social care on 0300 200 1005 or your current prescriber.

What do I do if I need to return the equipment to the CES?

If you need to return any equipment please contact your health care professional, i.e. district nurse or occupational therapist and they will then contact the CES team, who will arrange for the equipment to be collected once they are sure you no longer need it.

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How do organisations access the CES?

The service is funded from a 'pooled budget', made up of contributions from the participating agencies (Surrey County Council and NHS Surrey). Prescribers in those organisations e.g. occupational therapists, physiotherapists and nurses have access to the CES and order the equipment required. Their access is governed by certain criteria, but in general they are able to order any required equipment irrespective of whether it is deemed to be for a person's health or social care needs.

The Millbrook service runs Monday-Friday, however, there is also a 24 hour emergency service and prescribers can also access certain items of equipment outside of 'normal' hours through a series of small sub-stores, sometimes referred to as peripheral stores, which are mainly based at both acute and community hospitals all over Surrey.

A small team headed by the Pooled Fund Manager manage the contractual elements of the service, and support the prescribers and service users who use it. The Pooled Fund Manager reports to a management Board consisting of representatives from all of the commissioning agencies, users and carers. There are also four Area Boards that ensure the effective local operation of the service.

In general, for the purposes of ordering equipment etc. only authorised clinical personnel (prescribers) in possession of a valid Personal Identification Number (PIN) can access the CES. This is designed to ensure that both professional standards, and effective management of the pooled fund are maintained. The structure of the PINs also allows the gathering of important management information.

The PIN system is managed through the Pooled Fund Manager's office, however, each Area Equipment Board has designated people responsible for gathering the necessary information and authorisation before a PIN can be created or changed. PINs will not normally be issued until someone has completed the Prescriber Training.

Once in possession of a PIN, a prescriber may place orders for equipment through NRS. If their requirements exceed the level of access granted by their PIN, or under certain circumstances relating to budget controls, orders may be referred to more senior colleagues to obtain authorising sanction for an order to continue.

Orders are placed by using numbered requisitions generated as Millbrook's 'Millflow' online ordering system which has the benefits of increased speed, security, and other enhancements. In all cases, however, prescribers must ensure that all relevant fields are filled in clearly and correctly to ensure effective processing of the order, and that any vital or useful additional information is included.

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How do organisations interested in community equipment contact the CES?

Adult social care are making community equipment, such as Telecare available throughout the county under a programme called 'Surrey Safe at Home'. The type of services available and projects may be different in separate parts of the county.

To support the 'Surrey Safe at Home' programme, there is currently a project board and also four area Telecare groups (North West, North East, South West, South East) with social care, health, district and borough council and other organisation representation, which meet on a regular basis.

If you are interested in attending one of the area Telecare groups, in someone coming to give a presentation on assistive technology and Telecare or in other opportunities in the county, please contact the Policy and Development manager on 0300 200 1005.