Charlie Burridge's family overwhelmed by wheelchair support

Charlie Burridge relies on assisted technology to communicate

A father who criticised what he called unacceptable delays in securing the right wheelchair for his daughter said he had been "overwhelmed" by support.

Charlie Burridge, from Wallsend, North Tyneside, uses an NHS chair but it does not support her head, which she needs to be able to communicate.

Her father Brian said offers of help had been received as well as donations.

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust said the wait had been due to "clinics being booked and annual leave issues".

Mr Burridge said the family had been fighting for three years to get the correct wheelchair for Charlie, who has severe disabilities.

She has an appointment on Thursday to see specialists at the Freeman Hospital, where she was previously seen in May.

Mr Burridge said a 118-day wait between appointments was "too long".

Charlie has had to wait 118 days between appointments

A funding campaign had already been set up by a family friend for specialist equipment, and it has now raised more than £7,000.

Eye-gazing machine

"I just want Charlie comfy and if it means we can go private to get it done than all the better - and take some of the stress off the NHS," Mr Burridge said.

"It's just if the system is broken, then we need to question the system."

Charlie is non-verbal as a result of an undiagnosed condition she was born with and uses an eye-gazing machine to communicate, but her dad said her head needs to be upright for her to use it.

He described how she was able to keep her head upright at the start of the day but by lunchtime it would fall to the side.

Charlie sitting upright in her wheelchair in 2018

Mr Burridge said his criticism was not aimed at frontline services, but at the "pressure" being put on them.

"The wheelchair is the second bit of equipment that we have had to privately fund," he said.

"We might get a few years out of this wheelchair but she is probably going to outgrow it because she's only 10."

In a statement, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "We are sorry this is causing distress and are currently looking into this as a formal complaint.

"While we can't comment on Charlotte's individual circumstances, an appointment has been arranged where we will discuss the concerns the family has raised."