got a question if any one can answer thanks

[Ladywriter1968]

You have always been helpful before on this site. I have a question?

Cause I live quite far away from my Dad and have no transport so when I go, I have to travel on buses and trains and it takes over an hour so I cant make regular visits weekly. Plus my own finances as well.

My Dad is fully funded at the care home, half comes from his pension and the other half the LA pay for.

Dad has a pace maker which has to be checked at the hospital every 6 months.

The home said if the family cant take him they will take him themselves with a key worker. But there is a charge for this.

Even if I got the the home via public transport to go with him, the hospital is a distance away from the care home which would mean cabs on top of my travel expenses and I cant afford this. I have an uncaring family who live up the road with cars and they cant be bothered so it all falls onto me.

Since Dad is fully funded, who would that charge go to?
Me or the LA or my Father?

If my Dad had to go to hospital with a key worker?

Thanks

 

[PostTenebrasLux]

Sorry I can't help you, but I am sending you support and encouragement. Not easy when things are tight and family has "evaporated"!
I would hope that the services could take your father - poor man with busses and trains etc, all the waiting AND getting back - enough to make anyone sick with worry.
Hope you find the practical support for your father.
Best wishes,
Martina

 

[jenniferpa]

Although it may (probably does) vary by LA many if not most have a transport option for just this sort of situation. You'd need to check on the website of the Local Authority where you father is located, Also, you should contact the PALS service at the appropriate hospital - they will be able to tell you if the hospital offers some service. I'd also check with his social worker if you can't make it to see if they pay for this sort of thing (my feeling is they essentially have to, since otherwise they're put in the position of obstructing your fathers access to health care).

 

[BeckyJan]

I do not think YOU should be responsible. I suspect this should be arranged via the local surgery, hence the NHS pick up the charge.

My husband has a pacemaker too. He is fully funded. When he last had a check he was taken by ambulance (organised by surgery and CH Nurses) - I met the key worker and husband at the hospital. No extra charge to either me or my husband.

If it worked that way for us, why not for you - unless its postcode lottery stuff again?

 

[Margaret W]

Have you got a Volunteer group in your area? There is one near to me. They will take people to hospital appointments and charge just for petrol. They are people who do it regularly so are used to all kinds of infirmity. See if you can find such a group in your area.

Margaret

 

[Nebiroth]

Since the pacemaker has to be checked at the hospital I think that they should be providing transport if the patient is unable to travel themselves by other means. My mum has Parkinsons and is taken by hospital transport to the neurological unit for annual checks. The only limit on this is that I can't go with her - she is either counted as "unassisted" in which case the hospital provides, or "assisted" in which case public transport/taxis etc must be used.

If the care home is making charges for this then I would say it's the responsibility of the LA to sort it out and to deal with the charge the same way that the care home fees are done.

I don't think that you can be held liable, since no family member may be obliged to pay for the care (of any sort) of another family member. Legally the money must come from either the person's own assets or from social services.

That doesn't mean to say that care homes won't try to charge to the family, or imply that the family have to pay up.

 

[ella24]

Hiya

If your dad is on a limited income, I think he can claim for travel costs (you will claim on his behalf) - and if you are benefits or low income, I think you can claim as a 'carer'

I think this is the right link....

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/HealthAndSupport/Hospitals/DG_4000583

 

[Ladywriter1968]

thanks for all your helps

Thanks for all your help here.

I asked the care home I rang them today. They said the LA would cover costs but they would have to get an outside key worker to go with Dad for his check up as they cant use the ones already at the care home as they need to be there.

The care home said to me, the only thing is, with Dad going by ambulance to and from hospital he could be waiting around 6hrs for a pick up from the hospital cause of the hospital ambulances only do picks up so many times a day I guess.

When I visit Dad I have to get 2 trains and then wait for a bus at the station to get there. That costs enough and I am on a low budget. So to then have to take Dad to hospital by cab I could not afford. If I went with him by hospital bus I would be there for 6hrs considering I live a long way away and still would need to get myself home again as well afterwards.

So I guess the care home will have to provide him with a key worker to go with him then. I have a rotten family who live near him they all have cars, they could easily do this but they dont seem to want to know really. All they will say is, let the care home do it then.

 

[fredsnail]

Grandad had many hospital appointment and used the hospital ambulances and also the voluteer drivers.

If he went by ambulance he would generally have to wait a couple of hours for the return (they can only use the ambulances when a few are not on emergency call outs - this means that there is still cover from other ambulances when a call out occurs while they are transporting someone home) but they were also often seen very quickly on arrival at the hospital.

Volunteer drivers are better and they pick up a few patients to transport in the same trip and wait for them all to finish their appointments before returning them all home.

Grandad is incredibly impatient so any amount of waiting frustrates him and he becomes aggitated so speed is of the essence sometimes.

 

[CaPattinson]

transport

Hi there I wouldnt give up on this. I can't offer advice I only know that when I had a hospital checkup following a serious op. I was taken there and back by a volunteer driver and waiting time was tiny. I can't remember why though, sorry. Just suggesting there may/should be something available to you but it may take a lot of investigating. A social worker would be useful. I wish you good luck and hope you can resolve this problem. You are obviously a very caring person and deserve a break! Take care xx Chris.

 

[LinzyE]

It might be worth askin about patient transport. I work in a hospital and our patients that are ubale to travel on public transport etc are entitled this this. it is run by the ambulance service. Get in contact with the hospital that you are going to be attending or the care home or GP should be able to arrange this for you.

Linzy

 

[Canadian Joanne]

Ladywriter,
I hope with all this that your father is feeling okay.

 

[Ladywriter1968]

Thanks everyone for the advice

Well its strange as now my Dad does have appointment for pacemaker and I cant go with him. The home rang up Dads mate about taking him but Dads mate is working and he cant do it either. Dads mate said to me that the home had already arranged transport for my Dad cause I cant do it. They said if family did it there would be no extra charge, thats the email I got today, but I will have to find out about that. As what do they mean? No extra charge to whom exactly? Cause now family cant do it or Dads mate.

Will I suddenly bit hit with a bill from the care home for this? as to what I cant afford to pay as it is and struggling.

My Dad is fully funded and he has no assets, he previously lived in a council house and has no savings either. Only his pensions etc. I have already had to submit Dads insurance payments over to LA to pay because I simply could not afford to keep up the payments any more.

For those of you who may not know, I am an only child and my Mother died when I was a child myself. So its really hard for me to cope with it all really. I have health issues myself as well. I get no support from Dads brother or his family at all. When there is anything wrong they are straight on the phone to me to do everything rather then them helping out. They dont want any responsibility. I actually hate them now. Oh well. Just me getting out my frustrations here really.

 

[lesmisralbles]

Hello

I do not know about care homes.

But I think if they are in full charge of your dad, they should make the arrangements, and pay.

Barb PS
Good Luck

 

[Ladywriter1968]

The Out comes of the charges

Hi all

Just to let you know and it may help others here as well.

The home have now arranged transport and someone to go with Dad, a key worker I think. The charge for this or "Extra charge" as they call it, will be taken from Dads money.

So that's how it works anyway.

I have kind of fell out with Dads family as they don't bother to visit Dad which is nasty. Plus years ago none of them came to my wedding day, they could not be bothered. All the care about is themselves. They only contact me or Dads mate when they need something or to find out something which will affect them. They never really cared about me or my Dad to be honest.

I hope that those of you out there have a better family support for yourselves then what I have. I would not want anyone to have a family like mine.

Anyway, cheers for your comments.