EMS information updates

Equipment Modification Services (EMS) What are they?

Equipment and Modification Services (EMS) is the system by which people of all ages, with a long term impairment, get equipment or modifications to their home or vehicle to enable them to be safe and independent in every day living activities. Equipment may include shower chairs, wheelchairs, walking frames, mobility canes, communication devices and hearing aids. The equipment is on loan to the person for as long as it continues to meet their needs.

Did you know that the Ministry of Health has recently produced information about Equipment and Modification Services in a number of accessible formats including easy to read, large print, audio tape, Braille, Te Reo Maori, and the three main Pacific languages?

You can order any of these excellent resources by contacting us at Tiaho Trust or by visiting NorthAble.  You can also download these resources from the Ministry of Health website.

This is just one of a number of new initiatives that has come out of the ESS Work Programme which is focusing on two key areas as part of its aim to improve service delivery for disabled people of all ages.

The Ministry of Health’s Disability Services and Health of Older People teams have been working together to establish a programme of work until 30 June 2008 to improve the provision of Ministry of Health funded Environmental Support Services (ESS) now called Equipment and Modification Services (EMS).

The programme of work is based on the findings and recommendations from the ESS Review, which was commissioned by the Ministry of Health and completed by Disability Resource Centre Auckland. The findings and recommendations from this review are outlined in a summary report which is available from the Ministry of Health website.

More information about these changes can be found on the Ministry of Health website. 

Tiaho Trust will be keeping our readers informed about any further changes to Equipment and Modifications Services (EMS). We will also be writing articles regarding different types of equipment modification Services over the next two months.