Following a report by the Audit Commission in 2000, which highlighted problems relating to the provision of children's equipment, the Department of Health has launched an Internet service to help reduce delays.

The Department of Health National Implementation Team for Integrating Community Equipment Services (ICES), has launched a pilot Children's Equipment Virtual Store.

The Audit Commission (AC) report 'Fully Equipped 2000' reported that many of the community equipment services (CES) visited in 1999, and since, had racks or piles of children's equipment, a lot of it virtually brand new. They said much of it would never be re-issued and would probably be written-off.

The idea of a virtual store is that pre-used items of equipment can be bought and sold via the Internet, to reduce unacceptable delays in the provision of equipment to children. Children's equipment is special but much of it is adjustable and adaptable and therefore not specific to just one child. Often though, there are not many children in any one area with the same needs. But somewhere there is a child who needs the equipment that is currently stored, and who could have it in a matter of days rather than potentially having to wait months.

The website can be visited at www.icesdoh.org/cevs

Equipment is listed under six categories: seating, mobility, bathing, toileting, standing and sleeping.