Northamptonshire Council

bridiej

Just spoken to my Mum and v annoyed.

My Nan who has just turned 79 has been waiting to have her bath replaced by an easy access shower tray for three years now.

Apparently my Mum contacted the council to see what was going on and they've said it could be fitted anywhere between April 2005 and January 2006!!!


It's b****y ridiculous that she'll have had to have waited over FOUR YEARS for this.... >:(

Needless to say my Mum is going to take this further - maybe my Dad and his seven brothers should pay a visit en mass to the council!!!!!

Poppy9

If it was my Nan and she really needed it the family would club together and pay for it.

With 7 brothers it wouldn't work out at very much.

I know the Council should pay for it but no doubt they allocate on a need basis. If there is someone in hospital who cannot be discharged until they have some home adaptations they will jump the queue to avoid bed blocking.

If you really don't want to pay for it contact your local councillor - that is what they are there for.

bridiej

Yes, my Mum has got the councillors name and I have just written an email to Michael Howard, as he is my local MP.

I know we could all club together but it's not really the point.

The council told her initially it would be put in within 6 months, they keep moving the goalposts!!! >:(

Poppy9

Lets face it your gran is 79 she has waited 3 years. Sometimes you just have to DIY. You may not think it is fair but all public bodies only have limited resources. They have to address the most urgent/needy cases first.

If you go to A&E and need emergency surgery you don't expect to be told - sorry you will have to go onto the waiting list as others have been waiting for 3 years and it wouldn't be fair if you jumped the queue.

It would save you all a lot of hassle. If she has been unable to bath for 3 years presumably she has had to visit relatives/friends with a shower to keep clean.

Alternatively you could ask the council for 'home help' for your nan to enable her to bath daily.

juno

Our council put in a wheelchair shower for my terminally ill mum. They finished it the day she died.

bridiej

Having now thought about this I didnt think you could make alterations to a house that belongs to the council??  ???

Poppy9

Not sure about that one. As a child we lived in a Council House and my dad did loads of alterations as did neighbours. Doors bricked up, pantrys knocked down, tall toilet cystern replaced with low level, Gas CH installed. They inspected the house when we moved out and I think they were just glad it was well maintained.

If the council tell you no they might offer to rehouse if they have a ready adapted place available. Problem is old people don't like to move so I think you need to tread carefully here as they might say they can only meet her needs by moving her.

elfmay

Lets face it your gran is 79 she has waited 3 years.  Sometimes you just have to DIY.  You may not think it is fair but all public bodies only have limited resources.  They have to address the most urgent/needy cases first.

If you go to A&E and need emergency surgery you don't expect to be told - sorry you will have to go onto the waiting list as others have been waiting for 3 years and it wouldn't be fair if you jumped the queue.

It would save you all a lot of hassle. If she has been unable to bath for 3 years presumably she has had to visit relatives/friends with a shower to keep clean.

Alternatively you could ask the council for 'home help' for your nan to enable her to bath daily.  

the point is by paying rent and council tax on the property she is paying for a service and it should be carried out in an efficient manner! my local housing is in a diabolic state and yet our local council recently spent hundreds of thousands on advertising! I had a similar problem last year, waited over 3yrs for a repair to be carried out, after lots of costly phone calls and wasted time trying to sort it out, I eventually went to see a solicitor. The day they got the solicitors letter I had a surveyor and supervisor around! the job was done 3 days later! The workmen told me there team only deal with such cases, and if I ever need work doing in the future to go via the same channels or it will never get done! I pay a lot of money to them and I expect a decent level of response for it. I would not accept such an attitude from any other company I purchased a service from!

Savvy_Sue

Having now thought about this I didnt think you could make alterations to a house that belongs to the council?? ???

More often than not now you can. There is far more freedom than there used to be. However, with things like plumbing and electrics I think they are entitled to inspect the work to ensure it is safe and to a reasonable standard, because if it leaks and brings the ceiling down on the floor below that's a bit of a problem. How long it would take them to do that is anyone's guess. It is the kind of thing to check before you start. Also whoever does the work, you need to make sure there are grab handles etc where they are needed.

If your family decides to shell out, think about whether a portable bathing aid would suit your nan as well as or better than a walk-in shower tray. If it would, do that, and then at least you haven't paid for a permanent conversion which someone else may benefit from more than your Nan.

Poppy9 is correct, budgets for adaptations are usually far too low to cover all the work which may be needed to keep a less able person safely in their home. Balancing what needs to be done against what can be afforded is someone's worst nightmare. Deciding whose adaptation should come first is no fun.

It would be interesting to see what happens if you mention the Disability Discrimination Act? Don't know how it applies to council housing though.

Poppy9

As I said in my earlier post I think if you push the council too much they may offer to rehouse to meet her needs. Would she want this?

Cullumpster

If you go to A&E and need emergency surgery you don't expect to be told - sorry you will have to go onto the waiting list as others have been waiting for 3 years.

Nothing would surprise me with Northamptonshire council, they are to be fair a bit really poo !!