A three-part study was undertaken into the supply of wheelchair stump boards by the Disablement Services Authority and their use by therapists and by patients with an amputation. The research highlighted the importance of stump boards in the prevention of post-operative complications occurring in the stump, and showed that the delay that frequently occurs when stump boards are ordered necessitates the manufacture of temporary models in occupational therapy departments. With the devolution of the wheelchair service to the NHS in 1991, it will be interesting to see if the needs of the individual patient gain higher priority.
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