Angry amputee, 51, hits out over his treatment
A MAN who had both his legs amputated says he’s being denied a powered wheelchair because he “isn’t handicapped enough”.
Andrew Walsh is waiting for kidney and pancreas transplants and says he is housebound without an electric wheelchair.
In August last year, the 51-year-old had his legs amputated due to blood circulation issues as a result of his diabetes.
Andrew, of Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, is not strong enough to operate a manual wheelchair without the help of his sister, Esther Jones.
After his op, he applied for an electric wheelchair from WestMARC rehabilitation centre at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow.
But Andrew was stunned to hear his application was declined because he did not meet the criteria. He said: “How handicapped do I need to be? I only want it for my independence.
“I have lost hope I am ever going to get one, so we are trying to highlight how they are treating people.
“At the first meeting, I had only been in the room five minutes when she decided I didn’t meet the criteria.
“At a second meeting, I was told I was going to get one but then I hadn’t heard back in a month-and-a-half, so I phoned the lady dealing with it. But they kept telling me she wasn’t available.
“Then we said we were going to go to the paper, and she phoned me back five minutes later.”
But last Friday Andrew got yet another letter saying he had been unsuccessful.
He added: “If they told me in the first place I wasn’t getting it, then that would have been it. But they have built my hopes up.”
Esther got her local MSP Jackie Baillie to help. Baillie said: “I have written to WestMARC to ask them to review Mr Walsh’s case.”
Andrew also goes to hospital three times a week for kidney dialysis.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said Andrew had been assessed by WestMARC but did not meet the criteria for a powered wheelchair.
Two further appeals, including one to another wheelchair service, had also been rejected. They added: “We review his situation on an ongoing basis.”