HEALTH providers have confessed they cannot meet demand for wheelchairs - and admitted many patients face a wait of between six months and two years.

The frank disclosure comes after two Gravesham pensioners were forced to wait between eight and 11 months for their wheelchairs.

The Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust revealed patients may wait an average of six months for a standard wheelchair and two years for a specialist one, due to supply outweighing demand - a position it believes is "worse than the rest of the country."

Gordon Lewin, of Elizabeth Court, Gravesend, was assessed for a standard wheelchair in January last year after suffering a massive heart attack.

But it was not until November - 43 weeks later - that the 86-year-old was finally given the vital piece of equipment.

His daughter Gail Price, who does not drive, said: "The wheelchairs are not made to measure they are standard outdoor wheelchairs and should be available when needed.

"Why is there such a long wait?"

Knowing she would not be able to transport her father without a wheelchair, Mrs Price had no option but to rent one from the Red Cross until Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association Forces Help (SSAFA) kindly donated one on a temporary basis.

Mrs Price added: "I feel terrible but there’s a lot of people worse off than my dad. Because he was in the army someone fortunately came to help me out." Mr Lewin’s ordeal is not an isolated incident. An 80-year-old former Burma war hero from Gravesham also faced a 33 week wait for his wheelchair after he broke his leg.

Speaking about the problem, Trust chief executive Erville Millar said: "As a trust we can only spend money on supplying wheelchairs up to the £178,990 we are commissioned to do so for the north Kent area.

"The demand outweighs that level and the local PCT needs to provide us with more funding to enable to us to meet the needs of local people. We feel our hands are tied and acknowledge it is not an acceptable situation."

The trust has informed the West Kent Primary Care Trust of the problem and has submitted a bid for extra funding.