Published 22 October 2026
A new NHS wheelchair service has opened in Dudley. AJM Healthcare began running it at the start of October 2026 after winning the contract from NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), and it is the company’s 12th Integrated Care System area, according to THIIS Magazine. For people in the borough who need a wheelchair for medical reasons, it is now the single point of access.
The service is open to adults and children registered with a Dudley GP. Each person is discussed by a multidisciplinary team and, where eligible, is provided with a wheelchair, along with ongoing maintenance, repairs and reassessment as their needs change. The area has nearly 325,000 residents, including more than 66,500 aged 65 and over and close to 58,000 children under 15. THIIS reports that Dudley received more than 1,000 referrals between 2022/23 and 2024/25.
The commissioning detail is public. The ICB’s tender notice on Find a Tender describes a three year contract starting on 1 October 2026, with the option to extend for up to two more years. The annual value is listed as 1.35 million pounds, and the notice says the service should focus on value for money rather than lowest absolute cost. It also commits the provider to the Wheelchair Quality Framework, an NHS England set of standards for wheelchair services.
The tender also sets out what the service must do beyond handing over a chair. It should consider a person’s social, educational, lifestyle and family needs as well as their clinical ones, respond to changing needs with repairs, reassessments and different equipment, and support access to education and employment. AJM’s chief executive, Mat Pickering, said the aim is to get people assessed quickly and keep equipment in good working order, adding that too many people nationally still wait too long for equipment.
AJM already has a Midlands presence through Active Design, a Birmingham company that makes postural seating and mobility equipment and has been part of AJM since 2022.
What this means if you live in Dudley
If you have a long term mobility or postural need, the route in is your GP or another health professional, who can refer you to the NHS service. NHS provision covers people who meet the local eligibility criteria, so it is worth asking at assessment what is included, including repairs. If you are not eligible, or want something the NHS does not provide, you can buy privately. Our guide to wheelchair costs explains typical price ranges, and our wheelchairs hub compares manual and powered options. A mobility aids overview covers the wider range of equipment that may help alongside a chair.
Related guides on Review Mobility
- Wheelchairs: types, features and how to choose
- Wheelchair costs explained
- Mobility aids guide
- Find a mobility company
Published 22 October 2026