DELAY SCANDAL: Wirral man's despair as his mother died after waiting for care package (From Wirral Globe)
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DELAY SCANDAL: Wirral man's despair as his mother died after waiting for care package
5:42pm Monday 12th March 2012 in News Exclusive By Stephanie Cureton
Esther Robinson - died before care package was agreed
A WIRRAL man has spoken of his "outrage and upset" following the revelation that social services had been deliberately delaying action for vulnerable people.
James Robinson, from Birkenhead, was forced to watch his mother Esther slowly “deteriorate” after vital home help services were cut by the council.
And he has told of the struggle he and his family faced trying to fill in for the reduced level of care she received.
It comes as the new leader of Wirral Council, Jeff Green, discovered that adult social services had been operating an illegal and deliberate system whereby care packages were delayed by up to four weeks.
He is furious over the delay policy - and the council's denials that it existed - and had today pladged to set up a special team to investigate.
Mr Robinson’s mother passed away in September of 2009 but had seen her number of hours of care per month reduced from 107 to 45 while she was forced to up her payments from £157 to £208.
And Mr Robinson said he suspected foul play throughout his mother’s final months and now feels relieved and vindicated.
He said: “My mum had a home help during the last 10 years of her life following a serious stroke and her care package was gradually increased as she had more and more needs.
“But when the council decided to do away with home helps and go private, she saw a dramatic reduction in her hours of care and increase in costs.
"It meant she was no longer getting help with shopping, cleaning or laundry and she felt a burden on her family.
“I demanded that she be re-assessed but was forced to wait four weeks for this to actually happen.
“At the time we were told this was the standard waiting time but now we know they were doing it on purpose for the sake of saving a bit of money.”
Following Cllr Green’s revelations on the Globe’s website, shocked readers have flooded our message boards to vent their anger.
One commenter said: “Vulnerable adults have been put at risk because of this action and it is continuing as Wirral Borough Council ‘negotiate’ a further cut in what they will pay for care in private care homes.”
Another poster wrote: “Can it possibly get any worse? It really is time to dismiss without renumeration those responsible for what’s happening with the DASS department of Wirral Council.”
Comments(19)
PeteSheff
says...
8:04pm Mon 12 Mar 12
Cheesy Peas
says...
8:08pm Mon 12 Mar 12
Time to have done with these "people" - once and for all.
ArdalMcFardle
says...
8:20pm Mon 12 Mar 12
bickyboy
says...
9:41am Tue 13 Mar 12
leonardmeryton
says...
11:07am Tue 13 Mar 12
I'd wager, sadly, you are not alone.
Spiffy
says...
12:32pm Tue 13 Mar 12
...
My best wishes and hopes also for all families affected by this terrible scandal.
woodyres
says...
1:30pm Tue 13 Mar 12
What can I say ? Thank you for your actions here, what you are doing will hopefully save other vulnerable adults suffering in the same way.
Sadly knowing WBC the way we do, the pressure needs to be kept up to ensure things finally change. Well done Wirral Globe for helping to do this.
Esther will never be forgotten by her family, and we all owe it to her memory to do what we can to change this culture of what is actually abuse of vulnerable people.
ArdalMcFardle
says...
3:16pm Tue 13 Mar 12
woodyres wrote:Well said !
JimRob what a great picture of your lovely Mum.
What can I say ? Thank you for your actions here, what you are doing will hopefully save other vulnerable adults suffering in the same way.
Sadly knowing WBC the way we do, the pressure needs to be kept up to ensure things finally change. Well done Wirral Globe for helping to do this.
Esther will never be forgotten by her family, and we all owe it to her memory to do what we can to change this culture of what is actually abuse of vulnerable people.
Jimrob
says...
4:20pm Tue 13 Mar 12
As you all know, this Sunday is a very special one in the calendar. I visit my mothers grave every Sunday and lay fresh flowers.
This Sunday will be extra special as it will be the first that I do not feel guilt that I could have done more in some way for her.
My Dear Mothers suffering at the hands of a few, faceless, uncaring individuals, has been exposed.
As an extra gift for her this Sunday. I shall be printing off ALL the good wishes and kind thoughts that you have all expressed. Place them in a sealed enverlope, and leave it for her to read, in her own good time.
Once again, from all the family, and on behalf of my Mother, we thank you all.
red devil
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5:47pm Tue 13 Mar 12
council officer
says...
7:22pm Tue 13 Mar 12
woodyres
says...
1:44pm Wed 14 Mar 12
council officer wrote:Yes, I agree, and where is the dignity in being referred to as "the service user" and forced to live in care homes that cannot meet your increasing needs because it's cheaper, and WBC need to save money.
What a damning indictment of an organisation that is supposed to make sure older members of our community spend their last days with dignity.
Or a vulnerable elderly person, anxiously waiting at home for a carer to call so they can be assisted to the toilet. Then either the carer not turning up, or giving them a choice, I will either make you some lunch, or take you to the toilet, i don't have time to do both !!
Where is the dignity in that situation - what would you choose ? the results of that choice should not be happening in our "caring society" surely.
Shocking !! More stories need to be told ........
spamfiend
says...
9:52pm Wed 14 Mar 12
Jimrob wrote:I just hope you get some sort of justice out of all of this jimrob.
Thank you so much for all the very kind words and best wishes. A special "Thank you" to the Wirral Globe and Stephanie Cureton, in particular for having the courage to actually help expose the wrong doing of some at DASS.
As you all know, this Sunday is a very special one in the calendar. I visit my mothers grave every Sunday and lay fresh flowers.
This Sunday will be extra special as it will be the first that I do not feel guilt that I could have done more in some way for her.
My Dear Mothers suffering at the hands of a few, faceless, uncaring individuals, has been exposed.
As an extra gift for her this Sunday. I shall be printing off ALL the good wishes and kind thoughts that you have all expressed. Place them in a sealed enverlope, and leave it for her to read, in her own good time.
Once again, from all the family, and on behalf of my Mother, we thank you all.
When you place the well wishers thoughts on Sunday, put this one from myself and my family in there too!
Our thoughts are and will be with you this Sunday....
Spiffy
says...
12:38am Thu 15 Mar 12
Jimrob wrote:Arrrr you made me cry ....would that all mothers had such loving sons. I can only hope I'm so lucky with mine but so far so good. :)
Thank you so much for all the very kind words and best wishes. A special "Thank you" to the Wirral Globe and Stephanie Cureton, in particular for having the courage to actually help expose the wrong doing of some at DASS.
As you all know, this Sunday is a very special one in the calendar. I visit my mothers grave every Sunday and lay fresh flowers.
This Sunday will be extra special as it will be the first that I do not feel guilt that I could have done more in some way for her.
My Dear Mothers suffering at the hands of a few, faceless, uncaring individuals, has been exposed.
As an extra gift for her this Sunday. I shall be printing off ALL the good wishes and kind thoughts that you have all expressed. Place them in a sealed enverlope, and leave it for her to read, in her own good time.
Once again, from all the family, and on behalf of my Mother, we thank you all.
...
Guilt is not yours to bear Jim and Judgement Day IS coming...stay strong.
reliant22
says...
7:02pm Thu 15 Mar 12
I just agree with all that`s been said and how it must bring back memories of how much your late lovely Mum suffered.
What could you have done though? Up against all the odds with what appears to be an uncaring, hard, money grabbing Council department.
May they suffer themselves for all the suffering they have caused.
Please let`s keep up the pressure so that those responsible will be punished. That action may bring some comfort to all who have suffered.
My thoughts are with them all.
Jimrob
says...
8:34pm Thu 15 Mar 12
And, as Reliant22, and others have said, my Mother could not have been the only one. According to my records there were 109 other "service Users" (I also hate that term) that were directly affected when the Authority decided on the course of action it took. My heart goes out to all those "Vulnerable People" (as I prefer to call them) that may, and most likely, did, suffer.
Jeff Green and I are to meet next Wednesday to discuss my Mothers case. Hopefully, the information that he is able to collect from me, may help give him a better understanding of what all the vulnerable people, my Mother included, had to suffer.
Mary Adair
says...
6:05pm Fri 16 Mar 12
red devil
says...
10:55pm Wed 21 Mar 12
MX says...
6:32pm Mon 12 Mar 12