Wheelchair Service Training Package – Intermediate Level now available

Following the release of the Wheelchair Service Training Package – Basic Level in July 2012, WHO has developed the Wheelchair Service Training Package – Intermediate Level, in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The second part of the WHO wheelchair service training package series focuses on addressing the needs of people who have severe difficulties in walking and moving around and poor postural control. Special attention is given to the provision of appropriate wheelchairs for children who have poor postural control and are unable to sit upright independently.

Around 70 million people worldwide require wheelchairs, yet only 5-15% of people have access to them. People in developing countries often depend on the donation of wheelchairs, which are frequently of poor quality and not suitable either for the users or their environment. Health and rehabilitation professionals are not always trained adequately to ensure people with disabilities get a quality wheelchair.

The Wheelchair service training package contributes to developing the minimum skills and knowledge required by personnel involved in different phases of wheelchair service delivery. The Intermediate Level package is designed to support the training of personnel or volunteers to provide an appropriate manual wheelchair and cushion for children and adults who need additional postural support to sit upright.

The main purpose of this training package is to:

• increase the number of wheelchair users who receive a wheelchair which meets their needs;
• increase the number of personnel trained in intermediate-level wheelchair service delivery;
• improve the competencies of wheelchair service delivery personnel;
• increase the quality of wheelchair service delivery for people who need a comparatively higher level of intervention than the basic level;
• provide technical content that can be integrated in regular paramedical/rehabilitation training programmes;
• achieve greater integration of wheelchair service delivery within rehabilitation services.

For more information on how you can download and use the Wheelchair Service Training Package – Intermediate Level, please visit WHO website: www.who.int/disabilities/technology/wheelchairpackage/wstpintermediate/