Taking control of my life

dancingfairy

Oh my gosh. What planet is she on? That's really bad. Well there's you answer as to why you don't get any help - if she can't fill the form in properly then what hope have you got. Grrr.
Hope the people on here can help you get a complaint in and get a sensible decision - one that's based on fact not random guesses and lies.
df

GeorgeUK

Yikes!!!

Try to stay calm Ames.
It's not going to do you any good. Channel that energy into going through each point and stating whether it is accurate or fabricated.

Sounds like you may have a fight on your hands but hopefully they will send someone else round who actually knows how to do the job.

scaredy_cat

Ames,

get a drink and a pad and on the pad write the question number and then write down your anwer or situation, then forward the them both to your councillor and the head of adult care, stating that the truth - your version - differs greatly from the social workers version - emphasising the fact she had lied on the assesment and didn't asked you all the questions on the for and made up answers to them.

You could also mention that you will go to the press about the incompetant handling of your situation.

Ames

Thanks peeps. I went into town to Starbucks and did it there - I thought I'd be less likely to get emotional in a public place. I picked up ex and asked him to do some shopping for me, which he got completely wrong, and took an hour and a half over so there wasn't time for me to give him a list to morrisons to return the favour. So he's not happy at having to stay in here for the asda order till we can go out.

I'm shocked at how much she's missed out, and the number of mistruths she's put on the form, reading it I can see why there's no care needs, I'm managing everything fine! Reality's a bit different though.

So when I get time tonight I'm going to email SS, my councillors and MP with a full break down of what's wrong with the assessment, right down to the fact that I haven't been asked to sign anything in connection with it.

Also, the spelling and grammar is appalling - she hasn't even spelled my name right!

Ames

I've been thinking all afternoon about how best to counter her mistruths.

There's just one point where I think I'm being a bit oversensitive. When it says about me wanting help getting the shopping in, she says that I could get taxi's because that's what my higher rate DLA is for and the drivers would bring in my shopping. It makes me feel as though I'm being accused of wasting my money, when actually my DLA goes to get a motability car. That's why I'm not asking for help going to do the shopping. I just wanted either to be able to ask a carer for something else to spend a few minutes bringing it in, or a disabled parking bay near, or some solution that I haven't thought of. And I can't see a taxi driver bringing heavy shopping bags in from a few hundred yards away anyway!

I think if I argue that though I'll just look petty and it'll detract from my serious complaints? The same with arguing about spelling my name wrong, it's not that big a deal.

Ames

Forgot to say, I did have some good news today. I phoned the housing people because income support are still taking arrears even though they were paid off in April. They confirmed that I'm in credit by £50, and said they'll get in touch with the right department to cancel the payments. Then I have two options. 1) let the money sit in my rent account doing nothing, 2)ask for it back. I think he was being sarcastic, obviously I'm asking for it back! So I can do that as soon as I get a letter from IS saying it's stopped, should take 2-3 weeks for me to get the refund, which is great!

ZTD

dancingfairy wrote: »

Oh my gosh. What planet is she on? That's really bad.

She is on the planet "Incompetent".

dancingfairy wrote: »

Well there's you answer as to why you don't get any help - if she can't fill the form in properly then what hope have you got.

She has filled the form in correctly. She has denied someone help which will cost her department money. That's correctly as far as she is concerned.

dancingfairy wrote: »

Grrr.
Hope the people on here can help you get a complaint in and get a sensible decision - one that's based on fact not random guesses and lies.
df

The form strengthens the case.

Ames wrote: »

I've been thinking all afternoon about how best to counter her mistruths.

There's just one point where I think I'm being a bit oversensitive. When it says about me wanting help getting the shopping in, she says that I could get taxi's because that's what my higher rate DLA is for and the drivers would bring in my shopping.

Would they? You pay them to drive - not to carry. Would a bus driver bring your shopping in? A taxi-driver does exactly the same job, just with a different vehicle, and would be well within their rights to refuse.

Is the council going to indemnify you against that eventuality?

Ames wrote: »

It makes me feel as though I'm being accused of wasting my money, when actually my DLA goes to get a motability car. That's why I'm not asking for help going to do the shopping. I just wanted either to be able to ask a carer for something else to spend a few minutes bringing it in, or a disabled parking bay near, or some solution that I haven't thought of. And I can't see a taxi driver bringing heavy shopping bags in from a few hundred yards away anyway!

No. They won't.

Ames wrote: »

I think if I argue that though I'll just look petty and it'll detract from my serious complaints? The same with arguing about spelling my name wrong, it's not that big a deal.

It is actually a sign of sloppiness and a casual attitude to detail - as is the timekeeping. Is the whole department like this?

Certainly her attitude to performing a proper assessment needs to be "adjusted" by her line manager. They are paying her wages for a job she isn't doing. What is she doing with the time she "saves" by making up answers? Did she leave the office late? Or was she doing her own thing during work time?

Does she make up the answers when dealing with parents of "at risk" children?

The whole thing stinks to be honest. You can sometimes make bad decisions because you assign the wrong priorities to things, but basic information gathering from a cooperative client should *never* go wrong.

Ames

Wow, long answer! And as ever well thought out and logical. I wish there was an 'uber thanks' button. I agree that she's done her job very well, since her job is probably to save money wherever she can.

I'm glad it's not just me that thinks a taxi driver wouldn't bring the shopping in!

Another example of her not thinking things through. She said for the washing up to buy more plates, and when I get a cleaner she can just do them all in one go (then I'd only have to be well enough to do it once a week). Would they pay for Rentokill when 4 days worth of dirty dishes attract vermin? Don't think so somehow...

ZTD

Ames wrote: »

Another example of her not thinking things through. She said for the washing up to buy more plates, and when I get a cleaner she can just do them all in one go (then I'd only have to be well enough to do it once a week). Would they pay for Rentokill when 4 days worth of dirty dishes attract vermin? Don't think so somehow...

It's not just vermin. Rather nasty bacteria can breed and multiply in that time. "Hand hot" water doesn't kill everything.

And surely you'd also need to be twice as well to do twice as much...

Ames

I told her I've had diarrhea several times when I've been left to look after myself and not been able to keep up with the dishes, that's when she said to do it once a week and have a cleaner do the rest.