UK: Miss Milner - A DISABLED woman has been left

Miss Milner suffers from spinal problems and is often bedbound.

Janis Milner

Published on Thursday 26 April 2012 08:50

A DISABLED woman has been left lying in her own urine and faeces after her care support was suddenly stopped.
Janis Milner, 33, of Stainland, has been tearful and distressed since being left without any dignity since Saturday.
She is incontinent and has little control over her bowel movements.
Her commode was left overflowing and she has had to use her washing-up bowl.
Miss Milner suffers from spinal problems and is often bedbound.
She has no feeling in her right leg and only 30 per cent feeling in the other.
Her disabilities have worsened since a car accident in 1999 and she did have carers calling three times daily.
Social services have been involved in meeting her needs through a healthcare company which included personal care, cleaning, and on good days outings to the shops.
Miss Milner said social services had told her they had been trying to contact her and if she didn’t return calls her care would be stopped and that happened.
But, Miss Milner, said no messages have been left on her mobile – for which they have the number – and her home phone isn’t working.
And, both organisations knew of her disabilities and it was wrong to cut-off her support withhout making alternative arrangements.
“It’s neglet. Utter neglect and I have been inconsolable,” said a tearful Miss Milner, who lives alone and doesn’t have family locally.
“I have just been left. If it wasn’t for my friends I would have been left with nothing other than Careline which have been fantastic but it’s not their job to empty my commode.”
Last Saturday night Miss Milner had to leave her door unlocked as she didn’t know if callers would know her keysafe number to gain access.
“If I fell someone would have needed to get access and with being downstairs I couldn’t sleep. If anyone I didn’t know came in what could I have done?”
Miss Milner was previously a finance manager and sporty with horse-riding and rugby among her interests.
After the accident she began to get back pain from bulging discs in her lower back which eventually virtually went through her spinal cord.
Treatment is still ongoing but her condition is expected to deteriorate further.
She has complained about her predicament but is still waiting for the issue to be resolved.
Miss Milner said social services want her to switch to a direct payment scheme for which she would be given a budget to organise her own care needs.
“I think I am being bullied to get something down about that and that is horrendous,” she said.
“For people to consciously take the decision they have I can’t get my head around it.
“If I didn’t have friends I would still be lying here in my own urine and faeces.”
Calderdale Council hid behind protocol and refused to comment in full or accept any responsibility for Miss Milner’s plight.
Instead, Director of Adults Health and Social Care, Bev Maybury, issued a brief statement: “The council never discusses the details of individual clients’ cases,” she said.
“However, what we would say is that, rather than narrowing clients’ choices in the way that they receive their care, we always try to increase the amount of choice available.
“Where clients do encounter problems and need urgent assistance, then there is an emergency number that they can contact, which is: 0845 1111 137.”
http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/local/disabled-woman-left-without-care-1-4485275