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letters
Letters

Write to Community Living at simonj@jarr.demon.co.uk. Note: all letters may be edited
Cut the contracts to pay and train staff
Jan Walmsley raises some interesting Meader’s view
points and questions regarding the
vagaries of self-directed support that we
fought so hard for over the years (summer
issue, page 19).
The way to better paid and better
trained staff is to pay the same amount
that local authorities pay commercial
providers. It seems crazy to pay a profit-
making company more for people who
are doing the same job.
More to the point, the additional rate
paid to preferred providers generates a
profit for them. That profit is money lost
to the system and would be better used to
pay personal assistants a decent wage,
and to provide the training required to
ensure good care.
Having been involved in this work since
1984, I am astounded at the lack of
common sense on the part of local
authorities. They have a need to keep
control over people who wish to live a life Commissioner-think pushed by the steward to shouts of:
in the community, while at the same time After reading Jane Lloyd’s moving account “Excuse me, wheelchair coming through!”
not taking up the opportunity to provide of what happened to her sister after her Next, we found there were 13 steps up
better services for those who require them. service was reduced (summer issue, and 13 more down to our seats. A dozen
After all, that is what they are paid to do. page 10), I feel an important point should enthusiastic fans, determined that a fellow
We should also look at what it costs be added to those in the article. supporter should see the game, insisted
councils to deliver social services and Commissioners should consider the they carry my brother, held up high in the
whether there is room for savings to be impact, given a person’s history, of air in his wheelchair, up the steps. We drew
made there. Perhaps we should start at proposed reductions in support. If they the line at carrying him down and he got
the cost of staff absence through long- did this, such distressing personal out of the wheelchair and the supporters
term sick leave and holidays. This should catastrophes might be avoided. helped him down and into his seat.
all be thrown into the melting pot. Rose Trustam This showed the difference between
In other words, we need a root and Lancashire receiving help as a family and services from
branch review on council expenditure so an agency. We made the decision together
services can be delivered in a more cost Sporting prowess with fellow fans and it happened.
effective way. In my professional role, I review care In a professional capacity, I would have
Les Scaife plans, risk assessments and health and been querying the planning and asking for
West Lancs Peer Support safety. A recent personal experience with a risk assessment. It would have made an
Skelmersdale my brother, who has both learning and excellent video of What Not to Do in
physical disabilities and uses a rollator to Regard to Moving and Handling.
help him get about, was very different. However, my brother talks about this
Know your Our extended family (11 of us, including very regularly as a funny and positive
rights under my brother) went to see our Wigan experience and we still laugh about it
community Warriors rugby league team in the grand when we tell people.
care law final at Old Trafford. Incidentally, Old Trafford and its
On arrival, we found our disabled disabled facilities are excellent, as are its
“Critical information for the times we parking space was at the other side of the stewards and ground staff.
live in” (feedback from attendee) stadium from our seats. On the long walk PS
round, my brother became tired and Lancashire
Community Living is running law ended up on the floor.
seminars led by barrister and social To the rescue came a large party of A useful, challenging read
care expert Belinda Schwehr supporters from the opposition, who I just got the latest edition of Community
picked my brother up then proceeded to Living. It is a great read. Thank you – loads
There will be time to discuss push and pull him round to our entrance. of important, useful and challenging stuff.
individual problems. All welcome When we arrived, there was no nearby It was rich reading with good contributors.
disabled entrance. So, with the help of a Samantha Clark
l See advert on the inside front cover steward, we made our way to the disabled Chief executive, Learning Disability
entrance and commandeered a wheelchair, England, Faversham

6 Vol 33 No 1 | Autumn 2019 Community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk