Shopmobility: Mobile scooter service under threat after NHS board rejects funding

A Highland charity that has provided a mobility scooter service for three decades says it’s under threat after funding was rejected by NHS Highland.

Shopmobility has already made redundancies at its bases in Inverness and Dingwall.

The charity previously received £35,000 a year towards its running costs from the health board.

It’s made one full time member of staff and two part time workers redundant to try to cut costs, and will reduce its opening hours from six days a week to five in Inverness, and five days a week to three at its Dingwall base.

Manager Norman MacLeod told STV News: “True independence to me is service users being able to choose when they would like to come in to hire a scooter to go out to the shops, to the theatre, for a coffee, when they want to. This is what is under threat.”

Shopmobility provides services for around three thousand people a year, and offers chairs for use at major outdoor events such as the Black Isle Show and the Moy Game Fair.

Service users say they are devastated by the prospect of reduced services and are hopeful a solution can be found.

But NHS Highland says the money applied for exceeded the amount that’s available.

A spokesperson said: “NHS Highland has funds that are awarded to locally delivering third sector organisations who can support delivery of services, projects, and activities against our health and care priorities to achieve better outcomes for the people of Highland.

We understand that the third sector and communities have a vital role to play in supporting healthy and resilient communities and individuals.

The fund opened for applications on July 15 this year and a number of applications were received by August 15.

Once received, all applications were assessed, and assessments were made on which applications best met the stated priorities.

The amount of funding applied for exceeded the amount of funding available and unfortunately not all applications were successful.

We have offered to meet with all organisations who have not been successful and we have offered this directly to Shopmobility Highland to understand their concerns and explore any mitigation going forward.