Manual Wheelchairs - World Health Organization

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Technical role
Technical personnel ensure that the technical requirements of the prescription are met through
the correct assembly or modification of the wheelchair. Technical personnel have direct contact
with users, at least in the prescription and fitting stages. When working with a user who requires
modifications or postural support, it is increasingly important that technical personnel are directly
involved in the user’s assessment, fitting and follow-up.
The main duties of technical personnel include:
• assembling or preparing wheelchairs according to prescription;
• making or assembling modifications or custom postural support;
• training users in wheelchair maintenance and basic repair, or supervising such training provided
by a trainer;
• ensuring that each wheelchair and any modifications are technically safe before each fitting and
before the user leaves the service with the new equipment;
• keeping records and documentation;
• following up users to ensure equipment continues to be appropriate;
• facilitating maintenance and repairs of wheelchairs and associated equipment; and
• participating in overall service evaluation.
Training role
One of the key steps in wheelchair service delivery is basic skills training for wheelchair users. The
bulk of the training may be fulfilled by clinical or technical personnel or by dedicated trainers. They
also provide users with the necessary advice on maintaining their wheelchair. Experienced, welltrained
wheelchair users (“peer trainers”) are useful in training other users (see Box 3.12). Provided
with the right resources and training, peer trainers may have some advantages over trainers who are
not users. Such advantages include an ability to empathize and to draw on first-hand experience.
For those receiving a wheelchair for the first time, there is added value in training given by a peer
trainer. By working with peer trainers, users are better able to recognize their own potential.
The main duties of trainers include:
• training users and caregivers, individually or as a group, in:
• transferral in and out of the wheelchair
• wheelchair handling
• basic wheelchair mobility
• health issues specific to wheelchair use (pressure sore prevention, etc.)
• wheelchair maintenance;
• participating in routine and more intensive follow-up for those users at risk, or who require
additional training and support;
• educating referral network personnel; and
• participating in service evaluation, focusing on the needs of users.
In addition, trainers could become involved in:
• activities to promote the wheelchair service;
• liaison with disabled people’s organizations and community-based organizations; and
• referral of users to relevant community programmes such as disabled people’s organizations,
vocational schemes and peer group training.
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