Ealing Council has launched urgent contingency plans to protect vital services for residents who rely on support equipment at home, announcing it will bring in Medequip Assistive Technology Ltd as its new community equipment supplier from today (1 August 2025).
The move comes as NRS Healthcare, the borough’s current provider of essential items such as walking aids, hoists and medical beds, went bust with a winding up order made against Nottingham Rehab Limited (trading as NRS Healthcare).
The company’s uncertain future raised concerns about potential disruption to services that are critical for hospital discharges and for helping elderly and disabled residents live independently.
NRS Healthcare, which is backed by private equity firm Graphite Capital and based in Leicestershire, supplies councils across the UK with equipment such as wheelchairs, hoists and medical beds, and is also responsible for maintaining and repairing items already in use.
Its collapse had prompted councils, including Ealing, to take immediate action to safeguard service continuity.
In a statement, the company said: “Over the past few months, NRS Healthcare has been working hard to turn around the business and explore all possible options to safeguard services and protect the communities who rely on them.
“This has included working with local authority customers and other key public sector stakeholders to find a solution to the company’s current situation.
“We have already begun transferring all services to other providers and are implementing plans with the local authorities to preserve service provision and jobs.”
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, an Ealing Council spokesperson said: “Ealing Council is working closely with partners across London to put new arrangements in place for providing community equipment.
“We recognise how critical community equipment and technology enabled care is for people leaving hospital or maintaining their independence at home, and we are committed to ensuring that services remain as reliable as possible, especially to those people with the highest levels of need, during this period of uncertainty.”
They added:
“To reduce disruption, we are:
• Looking to bring in Medequip Assistive Technology Ltd as our new community equipment supplier from Friday 1 August 2025
• Prioritising urgent and critical referrals, to safeguard hospital discharges and end-of-life care
• Working with the NRS and their appointed advisors, the NHS, social care teams, and other London boroughs to manage the transition and support those most in need
• Continuing to work solely and directly with a local authority provided service for telecare
“We want to reassure residents and carers that we’re doing all we can to keep access to vital equipment and support running smoothly. If you already have equipment at home, this change won’t affect you.”
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