Equipment Sale, Hire and Repair

All Handling (Movability)

All Handling (Movability) sells products and provides on-site maintenance and repairs of mobility equipment, along with an extensive spares department.

Bikes R Us Service and Repair

Bikes R Us Service and Repair provides mobile wheelchair wheel repair service throughout Southgate and North London.

Direct Mobility Hire (DMH)

DMH specialises in the short-term hire and sale of mobility equipment. This includes wheelchairs (manual and electric), scooters and walking aids. It also sells or rents seating, sleeping, toileting and bath aids.

GBL Wheelchair Warehouse

Run by wheelchair users, GBL Wheelchair Warehouse sells, hires and services wheelchairs and scooters. It also supplies mobility equipment, such as hoists and walkers.

Hearing Aid Repair

The NHS will repair hearing aids issued by the NHS. Visitors from outside the UK can have their hearing aid repaired by a private dispenser.

To find your nearest dispenser, visit the Hearing Aid Council website or telephone +44 (0)20 3102 4030.

Independent Living Company

Specialists in mobility equipment (including wheelchairs, scooters, walking aids and spare parts), independent living equipment (including hoists) and home medical equipment. The Independent Living Company stocks a comprehensive range of products and hire out mobility equipment on a short-term basis.

Keep Able

A national supplier of mobility equipment (including wheelchairs, scooters and walking aids), independent living equipment (including hoists, toileting and bath aids, and leisure and household items) and communications equipment (including telephones, hearing aids and care alarms), with shops across the UK and on-line shopping.
There are two shops in the London area:
• Keep Able, Staines
• Keep Able, Mill Hill

Mediworld

Mediworld is a worldwide supplier of home medical and care products. You can shop at its London store or by telephone.

Red Cross

Local centres throughout London provide mobility and medical equipment (including wheelchairs, walking aids, bath chairs and back rests) on short-term loan. Independent living equipment is available to buy online or through any Red Cross shop. Visit the Red Cross website or call the group's national headquarters on tel: +44 (0)20 7793 3360.

Shopmobility

Local Shopmobility schemes provide mobility equipment (such as scooters, wheelchairs and power chairs) at shopping centres. Some schemes hire out manual wheelchairs on a long-term basis. Visit the Shopmobility website or telephone the national headquarters on +44 (0)8456 442 446.

Personal Assistants

In April 2003, regulations came into force requiring all local councils to make direct payments to eligible individuals who want to make decisions about how their care is delivered. These allow people with disabilities and long-term health problems to have greater choice and control. As a result, it is increasingly easy to hire a personal assistant (PA) privately.

Hartwig Care provides personal assistants on a short-term and long-term basis. Visit the Hartwig Care website or telephone the company on +44 (0)20 7916 7270.

Independent Living Alternatives (ILA) provides information and support for disabled people in relation to personal assistance. Its services include a support and information service for people who wish to recruit and employ their own PAs.

For further information, see the ILA website or telephone +44 (0)20 8906 9265 (24 hour answerphone).