Saturday 11 February 2017

Disability Discrimination in Trafford




[Image description: the writer in his wheelchair]

Since October 2016 I have been waiting for Trafford Council (Greater Manchester, England) to offer me a care-support package. They already know I need the assistance from a review done earlier in 2016. Since then I have been eating just once per day (at most) and missing most of the two out of my three lots of medications per day. From unused meds, I calculate I have missed a minimum of 77 (seventy-seven) daytime sets of meds. I have missed innumerable meals (I have memory issues so cannot say exactly how many; but if we say one meal X five days X thirteen weeks, that comes to a minimum of sixty-five (65)). During the week, I have had no-one to help me change my clothing nor help me clean myself. So, I am left abed without help and unattended till my housemate comes home each evening around six to seven. I have limited energy, which means it usually has to be used for eating my one meal.

If I am not considered a priority, goodness knows who is. A social worker did finally visit on 19th January, but I am still awaiting the assessment & recommendations. The situation has not been this dire for disabled folk since the creation of the Welfare State.
 
Thankfully, I have a housemate (who has no legal nor contractural obligation) who checks on me and feeds me of an evening and at weekends when at home. What happens for those totally on their own?

Apparently, the article in the Guardian (link below) apprises that this situation is now widespread throughout at least England (who knows about the rest of the United Kingdom).

We disablies are often forgotten - including by ministers of the government who only speak of "the elderly" when mentioning social care. This is overt disability discrimination and quite possibly disability hate.




2 comments:

  1. Going to post wherever I can. Sadly, it seems trying to shame relevant bodies into action doesn't work with govt, local or national, as they can trot out the sound bites and people who aren't directly affected seem to accept they're doing their best. We know from experience the reality of neglect and sometimes hostility that many of the services we need now 'offer'. Good luck. Nice-looking blog by the way!

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    1. Thank you for your kindness & comments. I have done to follow-ups. Here's a recent tweet:

      You Retweeted
      Colin-Roy Hunter‏ @criquaer May 3
      How's it going with obtaining appropriate #socialcare? GE17
      1. …http://crippledqueeranglo-europeanranter.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/disability-discrimination-in-trafford.html …
      2. …http://crippledqueeranglo-europeanranter.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/no-food-no-meds-no-care-in-trafford.html …
      3. …http://crippledqueeranglo-europeanranter.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/disablies-are-dying-in-uk.html …
      0 replies 1 retweet 0 likes

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