To streamline access to repairs and enable efficient use of reissue stock, two departments have been established within SWEP to facilitate this.
To arrange a repair for equipment supplied by SWEP please call 1300 747 937
For further information about each department please visit the respective pages on this website using the links below or the menu options on your left.
SWEP are excited about the upcoming changes for repairs and reissue with the appointment of Chemtronics as the statewide provider of these services. Over the coming months a well developed and considered transition plan will be implemented to ensure continuity of service. This transition plan is anticipated to commence on December 1st 2011 and be completed by 1st May 2012 due to a delay in the transition process.
Thank you for your understanding during this period.
SWEP Repairs, Reissue and Maintenance Tender Outcome
Statement by Ballarat Health Services and SWEP
The State-wide Equipment Program (SWEP) is responsible for the maintenance and repair of over 30,000 items of equipment used by clients to help them live independently.
Each year over 1,000 items are cleaned and warehoused across the state for reissue. These include manual and power wheelchairs, scooters, electric beds and rise-recliner chairs.
SWEP is a business unit of Ballarat Health Services (BHS). The cost of this service to the SWEP program is $5.3 million over two years. Over several months SWEP completed a competitive tendering process to ensure that all people with a disability across the state, both metropolitan and rural, have access to a technically proficient, cost effective and prompt service.
The selection panel comprising SWEP, BHS and Department of Human Services (DHS) staff along with external experts (an engineer and a client advocacy group member) evaluated tenders based on service capability, quality systems and processes, and value for money.
The successful tenderer was Chemtronics Biomedical Engineering, a Victorian company established 33 years ago, which also carries out work for the Australian Defence Force and Ambulance Victoria.
BHS Executive Director of Sub Acute and Community, Wendy Hubbard, said Chemtronics commitment to training staff, work history and workforce of over 160 technicians and engineers were key factors in the tendering decision.
“People who rely on SWEP can be assured that no matter where they live in Victoria their assistive technology aids and equipment will be looked after by a large team of skilled engineers and technicians,” Ms Hubbard said.
Chemtronics has a competency-based training program to ensure new skills are incorporated into daily work practice. The company has also committed to including human service skills into a proposed SWEP-specific training program.
“We felt that formalising people skills into their training program was particularly important given that the technicians are often required to visit people in their homes to service and repair equipment,” Ms Hubbard said.
Chemtronics, owned by Cabrini Health, currently manages, monitors and maintains over 250,000 assets across Australia and New Zealand and has an outstanding record of service.
To fulfill the tender requirements, Chemtronics will:
Use expert staff in metropolitan and regional centres which include Hawthorn, Geelong, Mildura, Bendigo and Ballarat;
Open new regional centres in areas of highest demand;
Guarantee costs for the duration of the contract;
Use a paperless inventory and job ordering system which can be accessed by prescribers and SWEP; and,
Commit to a series of service KPIs which ensure excellent service to SWEP and its clients.
