Merseyside man locked in 10-year-battle over his mum’s care home fees

A MERSEYSIDE man has battled for 10 years to try to reclaim the cost of his mum’s care. After having several strokes which eventually left her paralysed down one side, Phil Newton’s mum Evelyn was taken into a nursing home where she was cared for until she died in June 2005 aged 83.

He says social services at Sefton Council said he would have to sell her Netherton home to cover the cost of her care and following her death he got a bill for £31,000.

But Mr Newton says he has since learned the NHS is responsible for paying the fees and is trying to get them to pay the full amount.

He said: “I’m astonished when I realise that it’s 10 years now since my mother had a catastrophic stroke and that this matter is still unresolved.”

He said the care fee battle had taken a huge toll on the family and added: “It was sad enough to see the state my mother was in after her stroke, but with this battle I have had to rake up all the details of her illness and the suffering she went through again and again in letters, mails and meetings. ”

A spokesman for Sefton Council said: “Like all councils we follow national legislation in charging for residential accommodation and it is true to say that there is an outstanding sum in this case.

“However the recovery of this debt is currently on hold as we are aware that this gentleman has been in discussion with the NHS over funding eligibility.”

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the NHS did not confirm whether the NHS was should pay the fees but said: “An initial enquiry for information on an independent review panel was made to the Strategic Health Authority in May 2010 by the individual.

“The SHA responded on May 18, 2010 sending the relevant paperwork for completion. This was not returned and so the panel process could not proceed.”