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More than a million older people and disabled people who need equipment to help them remain independent, are to benefit from a new support team launched by health minister Jacqui Smith.

The team will advise councils and NHS trusts about modernising local equipment services such as walking frames, smoke alarms, adapted kitchen equipment and special seating for disabled children.

The NHS Plan set key targets to ensure community equipment services are both integrated and improved. Over a million people were helped with these services last year, and the NHS Plan aims to increase this by 50 per cent by 2004.

Smith said it was vital that people received the right support to make the most of the equipment: "That’s why community equipment services are a vital part of the government’s plans to improve the lives of older people and people with disabilities."

"We are making extra money available to both health and social services, but more than that we are also setting up a National Implementation Support Team to make sure that we find out where the best practice is, share it, and give people practical information abut how to develop the services," Smith concluded.