Community equipment

All County Councils have a statutory requirement to provide community equipment services for people with social care needs. This is to enable them to stay living at home as independently as possible.

NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) has a statutory requirement to provide similar equipment for people with health care needs.

Norfolk County Council, Suffolk County Council and NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB work together to provide an Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES) for Norfolk and Waveney. Medequip is our service provider. They are responsible for community equipment within Norfolk and Waveney and its:

• Delivery
• Collection
• Repair
• Servicing

Equipment provided

Working with occupational therapists and other clinicians, ICES loans equipment free of charge. This is to enable people to stay living at home independently, reducing the need for hospital or care home admissions. The provision of equipment is often key to facilitating hospital discharges.

All equipment loaned gets provided on an individual basis to people who have been assessed as needing it.

Here are some examples of what our equipment can help with:

• Getting into and out of bed
• Getting in and out of the bath, or up from the toilet
• Getting washed and dressed
• Getting up out of a chair
• Carrying things between rooms

Getting equipment

If you're finding some areas of daily living becoming difficult and believe you have a condition you need help with, contact our social care team or speak to your GP. A trained person will carry out an assessment to see if you are eligible for support.

If you're eligible

We may provide you with equipment free of charge, although this isn't guaranteed.

You might also want to think about electronic equipment (known as assistive technology). This can help you feel safer and more secure in your home.

If you're not eligible

We may direct you to find help via friends and family, charity funding, or recommend that you buy your own equipment. If you're looking to buy your own items, we've produced a guide to finding your own assisted living equipment.

Returning ICES equipment

All equipment loaned by ICES should have a Medequip label on it. This will show the Medequip customer service phone number. Medequip will also accept NRS Healthcare labelled equipment.

If your equipment is no longer required and ready to be returned, please call 01603 511124 or email norfolkcs@medequip-uk.com

You can also return equipment yourself to Medequip at:

• Norwich Service Centre Depot: Unit 15 and 16 Diamond Point, 31 Vulcan Road North, Norwich, NR6 6AQ
• Downham Market Service Centre Depot: Unit C Downham Trade Park, St Johns Way, Downham Market, PE38 0QQ

Opening Hours: 8am to 6pm Monday - Saturday.

Please note: We cannot collect or recycle other (non-Medequip and non-NRS Healthcare) equipment that has been issued to you by a hospital, even if it is similar equipment. If it was not issued through Medequip or the previous ICES provider, NRS Healthcare, please contact the hospital that issued it for advice.

Contacting Medequip

Call 01603 511124 or email norfolkcs@medequip-uk.com if you have any questions about:

• Recently delivered equipment
• Equipment that requires repair

Further independent living support options

Self-care empowers you to live independently for longer. It gives you the confidence to remain in your own home and complete everyday tasks safely.

For online advice, please visit the Medequip website. This is an online self-assessment tool. It gives you free impartial advice about all types of equipment, to make daily living easier.

For self-funded mobility and disability equipment options please visit the Manage at home website.