The Final Straw

amicipat

Hi, my name is Patricia, and I found Scope when looking for Advice.  I have e mailed a complete statement of my situation to Scope, but no response yet, so in final desperation thought I would try on here for some advice.

This could be long so here are just the basics.   76 Female, requiring disability aids for over 10 years, including stairlift.

About a year ago an inspection found my (then) current lift was unsafe, and not fit for purpose as my disabilities had progressed.   A temporary replacement was put in place within 2 weeks, whilst I applied for a Grant for a different lift.   This was approved and ordered in January 2022.  Fast forward to June, when a tentative enquiry led to me being told, they had 'overlooked' the order and would get on to it!   August 3rd 2022 and they arrived to install.   Without going into long details, they removed my ok lift and after an hour or so said that they could not fit the new lift because of some water pipes at the bottom of the stairs, and also, the software was faulty so the remotes did not work either!   Left it part installed, and I heard nothing for 10 WEEKS not one single peep so I contacted the Council Grant Officer who said he would chase it up.   Several visits later I still have no working lift, with no contact being made unless instigated by me.    I can cope no longer, the situation is intolerable I have damaged my spine and hips further by bumping downstairs on my backside, and my knees by crawling upstairs.

My GP surgery is useless, so much so that I am having to pay to see my Consultant privately this week at a cost of the whole of this weeks pension, and last week, emergency dental care cost me all but £20 of that weeks pension, so thats it, my sister had come to stay to help me, but I have had to tell her to leave, as the Council have stopped my Council Tax single occupant allowance and are claiming back payments, so, as the title says, Final Straw. 

amicipat

Council is full involved and not really doing anything to help.   My Housing Association have agreed to move the pipes, but on 17th January, no one seems to care or be interested.   My sister has been here since August when first left without a stairlift.

amicipat

Wow I know it is nearly Christmas and I am getting plenty of 'moderator texts welcoming and suggesting I post' but help/advice as being promoted everywhere even the long text sent over a week ago to SCOPE and acknowledged goes unanswered, so I guess this really was my final hope.   Not able to walk at all this morning, my sister is away now, and when I did get downstairs, I found the kitchen flooded because the plug hole and beneath has rotted away.   Housing Association say not to use sink, obviously, and they will 'try' and get it done before Christmas.

Final Final last Straw.   

durhamjaide2001

I'm pleased you found scope 

SueHeath

Good afternoon @amicipat i'm so sorry you seamed to have slipped through the net all round by the sound of it.
It does sound a nightmare and extremely frustrating. The only thing i can think of is perhaps getting in touch with your local social care team or age concern see if they can help move things forward for you.
Hopefully one of the scope admin will pick up on your thread - @Hannah_Scope @Alex_Scope @Adrian_Scope @Tori_Scope

Lottgelady

Hi Patricia

I think this will require a umber of things ... sadly none of which may be quick fixes

- Raise a formal complaint with the council (which one is it?) 
- Write to your MP for assistance
- Call the Safeguarding Team @ Adult Social Care (there may be a 24/7 contact number?) **  In the short       term this is the one that is most important

In all of these you need to quote The Care Act of 2014

They have a duty of care around these in particular:
Making use of the home safelyMaintaining a habitable home

If a person is at risk of abuse or neglect, authorities must act immediately. An effective response must be in place to protect the person in need.

Constantly use the words  "wellbeing and significant impact" on your wellbeing.

Have a look at this and quote it! Sorry m daughter died a few weeks ago and am not up to answering you fully, but couldn't leave your question unanswered and with no pointers ... you sound as though you might be able to navigate this, and quote! Be assertive with it too, once you start quoting, hopefully someone will jump!

Care and support statutory guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Let me know how you get on,

Stay safe, Rachel x

amicipat

Thank you to those who replied. Brief update. Fell down stairs Christmas Eve. Finally got up and to bed early Boxing Day. Phoned 111 - not life threatening able to mobilise. Sister returned home and got back to111who sent paramedics to assess. 8 hours and again mobile can crawl to bathroom. Got to see GP 4/1 immediate X rays. Next day call from surgery to make urgent appointment to see GP. Phoned to make said appointment got to wait 3 weeks. Have contacted MP. 

L_Volunteer

So sorry to hear this @amicipat. It sounds like you have been through such a horrid time, especially with the impact of your fall 

Best of luck with your contact with the MP. Please feel free to let us know how this goes and if there's anything we can do to support you, even if that's just listening to you.

Sending you hugs 

Tori_Scope

I'm sorry that your post may have slipped through the cracks, as sueheath has said @amicipat. As I'm sure you can imagine, Christmas is a busy time for us, and we're sometimes working at a lower capacity than usual in terms of numbers. The emails you received from us are sent out automatically, rather than us sending them manually. I hope that makes sense  

How are you feeling now it's a few weeks on from your fall? It sounds like you've been going through the wars! Is your sister still with you?