Sick Grandad’s Shock At Home Care Cut

A bed-bound man who has lost half his body weight through illness is threatening legal action after social services cut his home care.

George Pritchard, who suffers from lung conditions emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease – together with angina and osteoporosis – was receiving 27.5 hours of care a week before he was taken into hospital just before Christmas.

But the 52-year-old’s care was cut to 14 hours a week when he was discharged back to his South Shore home. Help with shopping, laundry and domestic assistance had all but been withdrawn. And he has now instructed his solicitors to seek a judicial review unless the decision is reversed.

Mr Pritchard says his condition has deteriorated and he has suffered significant weight loss because of his illness – dropping from 10st to 5st. He says he is incapable of even walking to the bathroom unaided.

Mr Pritchard, of Clayton Crescent, said: “I’m not a well man and have to have constant oxygen. I’m bed-bound and can’t do these things for myself. Even though my condition has got worse, the council has reduced the services they provide to me substantially. I don’t want to go into a care home. But the hours the carers come in now just isn’t enough. It’s not the carers’ fault. They haven’t even got time to make me a hot meal at lunchtime. I just don’t understand it, it’s causing me to get worse.”

The grandfather of six contacted his solicitor, Ron Heywood, who wrote to the council. But he says he has received no reply. Mr Heywood, of Atkinson, Cave and Stewart, based on Springfield Road, Blackpool, said: “I’m appalled at the way this man is being treated. If necessary, our client will seek an urgent judicial review of the council’s failure in this matter.”

In his letter to Blackpool Social Services, Mr Heywood said there seemed to be no basis for the reduction. Mr Pritchard previously got one hour of help every morning, one hour every lunchtime, one hour each teatime and 30 minutes in the evening. He also received one hour for shopping on Mondays, plus appropriate time for personal hygiene.

He now is given one hour in the morning, 30 minutes at teatime and 30 minutes in the evening. On Monday of each week, the carer is expected to do shopping, personal care and domestic services in just one hour.

The Gazette reported last year on Blackpool Council’s plans to cut such help to one hour a week. Marton councillor Jim Houldsworth, who has campaigned previously on the issue of care hours, said: “We seem to be seeing nothing but cuts when it comes to social services. There has been increased pressure on social care due to the closure of hospital rehabilitation wards. Elderly people who would have been in the rehabilitation wards are now being sent out into the community.”

A spokeswoman for Blackpool Council said: “We are sorry that Mr Pritchard is not satisfied with his current care package.