The Social Worker from Hull City Council came on the 28th September 2015 for my yearly review. My situation was; I had 2 carers for 1 hour 6 days a week to get me up and shower me, dress me, shave me and feed me my breakfast. These carers were from the agency company.
I also had 20 hours per week for my 2 PA’s to cook my meals and feed me, toilet me, light house work and get me ready for bed and sometimes take me out throughout the week.
So my care support was;
12 hours from the agency (2 carers for 1 hour, 6 days a week = 12 hours)
20 hours for my PA’s per week.
Total of care = 32 hours per week.
The Social Worker and I decided to let my PA’s to take over from the agency carers as it’s a lot cheaper for the council to pay my PAs instead of the agency carers and it would be better for me as I need the same carers every day as new carers do not know what to do and I am not very understandable due to my cerebral Palsy, to overcome this I communicate using a speech synthesiser.
At no point in the meeting the Social Worker suggested about cutting down my hours. I even asked him on my speech synthesiser about the 32 hours as the speech synthesiser records everything what I say.
I said if you cancel the agency carers would I get the 12 hours for my PA’s
He said “yes”
So I will get 32 hours a week for my PA’s? I replied
He said “yes, but we need to give the agency care company 7 days’ notice.”
I said “ok give the notice today”
Before he left me, I told him the best way of communicating with me is via Email due to my disability.
On the 29th September 2015, I emailed Social Worker to confirm my PA’s will be taking over on the 5th October 2015.
I said, Did you cancel the agency company yesterday? Do my PA's take over on the 5th Oct?
He wrote, I contacted the agency Health Care and their services will end on Monday 5th October..
On the 19th November 2015, Social Worker revisited me with Hilary (OT) as the management panel wanted me to be seen by an O.T. Before Hilary did the assessment, Social Worker asked me, why are you going over the 20 hours since October 5th?
I have 32 hours now because I asked you if you cancelled the agency carers will I get 32 hours for my PA’s in the first meeting. I replied.
Social Worker denied this and said I shouldn’t go over my 20 hours until the management has agreed the extra 12 hours.
I said we cancelled the agency company as I wanted my PA's in the mornings. So these 12 hours from the agency should have been swapped over straight away as my PA's are doing the agency jobs. How do you expect me to get up, shower, dress, breakfast, shave, toilet?
It’s much cheaper for my PA's to do the agency jobs for the council as it saves the council a lot of money.
Social Worker should of talked to the management panel first before cancelling the agency carers and he should of swapped the 12 hours from the agency carers to my PA’s before he cancelled the agency carers.
After my assessment with the OT, she agreed I need at least 32 hours a week for my PA’s.
On the 17 December 2015, my case went back to the management panel and again it was refused. Social Worker said, “The management panel are questioning one or two areas that I feel are unnecessary bearing in mind your situation. My case has been left with his supervisor to look at and following this, it will be re-submitted to panel.”
Aftter afew more appeals was refused, I did a letter to complaint about social services, 5 weeks later I won my 32 hours back.
If you think you can win something, don't give up as you will get the victory at the end.
