Reply from Stephen Ladyman

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
A very snide reply......

Dear All,

I wrote this in a fit of pique and then decided to edit it - then decided not to...... I'm sure it won't get me anywhere at all, but I felt rather better for sending it. I am getting sick of being 'nice'.

Dear Mr Ladyman,

I have received your letter regarding NHS funding for care. Both of my parents suffer from Altzheimer's Disease. They are 86 years of age and have paid taxes and NHS contributions for their entire lives, which I would have thought would entitle them to some sort of care funding at home. Unfortunately your Department sees fit to overspend to the tune of some £26 billion on comptuer equipment rather than directly address the critical issue of home care.

Your letter is patronising to the extreme. I am sure that after 6 years I am well aware of the difference beween personal and nursing care. The point that I have been attempting to make for some long time is that the eligibility criteria for NHS Care is incorrect and biased towards patients with physical disabilities and that is the matter that needs to be resolved. There are currently approximately 750,000 people in the UK 'disabled' by dementia and over half of them are suffering from Altzheimers's Disease. Fortunately for you, there are thousands of unpaid carers willingly or unwillingly caring for these people - and please do not even try to tell me that £44 pounds is a suitable remuneration for working 168 hours per week.

I personally receive zero from the Government since I have been living overseas for 30 years and have been assessed by the SS as a non resident in the UK. The fact that I have a business overseas which I rarely see and cannot operate successfully since I now have to be in England, seems to be of no regard. I also wonder if you would be prepared to leave your wife and family and move 15000 kilometres to care for your elderly parents and forefeit your entire annual income? The reason that I have had to to do this is that I have yet to find a Nursing Home which will take both of my parents together, as they are at varying stages of dementia. They have been married for 63 years and I have no intention of splitting them up, although the SS apparently considers them to be 'past their use by date' and that this is the logical course of action.

Your comment 'Most older people tell us that what they want is to stay longer in their own homes and this is being made possible..?' Oh really? If that is the case, then why have I been compelled to sell our family home and move my parents to rented accommodation in order to pay their private care fees? This is necessary because sadly, I just can't seem to stay awake 24/7 to take both of my parents to the lavatory both day and night. I presume that you do read your own statistics, in which case you would clearly see that some 7000 homes are sold each month just to pay for private care fees alone.

Perhaps you would care to let me know just what happens when my my parents' private financial resources run out? Hopefully your £26 billion+ computer system will provide a suitable solution.

Yours, blah blah'

It will probably take months for a suitable answer, if at all.....


Jude
 
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City Claire

Registered User
Nov 1, 2004
36
0
Oxford
Go Jude!!!

Great letter, I'm only just beginning to understand the minefield I'm entering trying to sort out the finance/practical side of residential nursing care for Dad. One of the professionals told me they don't get given any leaflets to display/hand out for continuing care - but I'm sure that's old news! She also mentioned when I asked about it for Dad that she thought he wouldn't get it (but she will try) and that recently the points that you needed to qualify seemed to have gone up alot.
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear Claire,

I'd be really interested to know how the 'points' are apportioned.

Presumably we get 100 points when we all drop dead and are no longer in need of funding. Sounds about right to me but then I'm just a bit cynical I guess.....

Jude
 
C

Chesca

Guest
Dear Jude

What do points mean? Points mean prizes!!!! Your 100 points will entitle you to a burial fund from the DSS, a funeral complete with no frills (see Humanism thread!).

At the funeral of your goodself the ritual dance of the SS on your grave will take place with much whooping and wailing - to the chant of 'one down, another 749,000 claimants to go, clear your desks partners!' However, I will wear my sequinned, peep toe, 3inch stilleto slingbacks in your honour, lose my balance and create many a stabbing with the feet, viz, it was an accident, Your Honour, lost me balance after the Jude juice, really it 'appened! Just ask the other 8 million (by then it will be, of course) members of TP that are present in the gallery, outside and lining the streets for a 45 mile radius.

You will not be buried in vain and apart from the shoes worn in your honour, there will be little other vanity apart from the golden halo of our collective pride!

I cannot begin to imagine the same celebration for the vaingloriousness that is the ladyman. Brilliant letter and to those of us who say we wish we'd said that, courtesy of Oscar Wilde, you will, my dear, you will! And.......I will, my dear, I will!

Bloody marvellous
Chesca
 

barraf

Registered User
Mar 27, 2004
308
0
Huddersfield
Reply from Stehpen Ladyman

Dear Jude

Well done, terrific letter.

I'm afraid you will never get a suitable answer, but it must have made you feel a lot better just writing it.

The more we all write, the more it will make the politians think (if that is not an oxymoron), I have today received an unsolicited email from Barry Sheerman my MP about the lack of funding. It doesn't help but perhaps they are begining to worry about the number of letters on the subject.

But then again perhaps they are begining to worry about a possible election next year. (Who is cynical?)

Copy of his latest email below.

Dear Mr Barraclough,

While I believe that this Government has made tremendous progress in improving the healthcare system in this country, the unfortunate reality is that there are limits to the resources available. I don’t think that there is any policymaker who is comfortable in having to draw out those limits or to prioritize patient needs.

The NHS is currently faced with an antiquated system which doctors and nurses have said requires significant investment in order to adequately serve the public’s needs. While patient care takes priority, the costs of that care must me measured and weighed against these other considerations. The issues of healthcare are never easy ones to resolve.


While I sympathize with your position, I hope that you can respect mine.

Yours sincerely,

Barry Sheerman MP

Whilst I am writing. Glad you are going to get some life of your own back in Bali, you deserve everything you can get. Try to enjoy and don't worry too much. But please keep posting so we all can enjoy Bali vicariously.

Cheers Barraf







I
 
C

Chesca

Guest
Barraf! Stay cynical. Don't buy any of it! They are not doing anything state of the art. Why is it that I/you/mum can go into hospital and nobody seems to know anything about them, despite the fact there has to be sufficient information on the databases (given previous visits) - don't forget we are talking here about downsizing A&E units on this basis - and nobody knows a ****** about who you are, your medical history or your inside leg measurement and you were only there last week!

Nobody knows how to use what they already have, so the intention is to throw money at it, again? ********! Sorry, but ********! I'd be a little more convinced if I saw a few less top-of-the-range leased BMWs in the car park (and I do, on that one, really know what am talking about when I say that they're not being delivered to the people we need and who really know what they are doing - like, the doctors and serious professional staff) and somewhere in my professional past know how accountants work. It's an outrage!..........and with a capital 'F'!

Yours fumingly
Chesca
 
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Norman

Registered User
Oct 9, 2003
4,348
0
Birmingham Hades
Dear All
you are so right about the awful waste of finances in the NHS.
How many reorganisations is this?
The big cars on the car parks?
The monies paid to trust chairmen and non executive directors?
What really is needed is a team of inspectors ,like company doctors to look for all the waste and misuse of finances,call unannounced and take the place apart.
I'm living in cuckoo land again,or is that to simplified?
:confused: Norman
 
C

Chesca

Guest
Norman
The last thing we need is inspectors and blah de blah consultants. The first thing we need is to fire the load that they are and to give the management over to those who know what they are dealing with - the accounting bodies who go in there know sod all about the call of the medical - trust me, on this. I worked in a former life for one of the biggest accounting companies in the world. I have to tell you, you would murder the fairies at the bottom of garden if you only knew how much money these so-called fact finding financial consultanices cost. Trust me! I'm not a doctor of figures!

Chesca (the fence)
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear Barraf and friends,

Aha! - finally an admission to Barraf IN WRITING that the system is antiquated, doesn't work and sustantiated by comments from doctors and nurses. We progress slightly. Please do forward a copy of this letter to Stephen Ladyman as soon as possible.

Anyone who wishes to use the 'backbone' of my letter and alter it to fit their own circumstances, then please do feel free to do so. You can send letters directly to Stephen Ladyman, MP at Department of Health, Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, LONDON SW1A 2NS. Please do write. By the way, his phone number is 020 7210 3000. This letter wasn't just addressed to me, it was the reply to all of our collective letters sent in August. My next letter will again be sent to Tony Blair, who saw fit to pass the buck last time to Steviepops.

Thanks for all the backup support guys! I was a bit iffy about sending such a sarcastic response, but I was seriously irritated by his patronising reply. Looks like it's the way to go.

I am sickened and made daily more angry by the reports in the media of 'expenses' and inflated salaries paid to MP's who have every intention of using tax payers funds to feather their own nests for a cosy lifestyle and hefty pension payouts.

I am enraged that the Inland Revenue is waiting to swoop down and plunder 40% of my parents' savings in Inheritance Tax to further boost the overinflated lifestlyes of MP's bloated on their own self importance. I am fed up with being treated like a beggar going cap in hand to plead for the NHS services that should be available for my parents and for which they have ALREADY paid during their lives.

I am sick of this on behalf of every other AD sufferer who has paid their taxes and NHS benefits and all carers who are being ignored and treated as unpaid staff in a totally unjust and undemocratic system.

jude
 

Norman

Registered User
Oct 9, 2003
4,348
0
Birmingham Hades
Chesca
how do we fire anybody and hand over to those who know what they are dealing with,without any sort of evidence?
I do know what these financial consultants cost ,my youg son is one.Called a company doctor I think!
My plan would be for common sense investigators with vast NHS experience who would Know what to look for.
Not only financial but inadequate use of any resources,including manpower.
I could give a full explanation if I had 6 months to spare.
all best things
Norman
 

City Claire

Registered User
Nov 1, 2004
36
0
Oxford
Hi

Just to say dear Mr Ladyman was on Radio 4 this morning in relation to a discussion on carers being supported - because of that newspaper story about the older person who was left at a hospital by carers. He was mainly going on about how much money the government are putting in for carers and how local govt etc. have to make sure people know about the help available! (And implying you should ask for it of course and it's your fault if you don't kind of thing.) Perhaps I should write to him and suggest the his dept provide them with a leaflet on Continuing Care to give out!!! I've basically been told (by a very embarrassed professional) that I have to let SS know when we think Dad has 8-11 weeks to live and then we'll qualify for CC!! I still don't get the idea that there's supposed to be some kind of time limit on it. Anyway sorry I'm not sure the overall issue people are concerned about is the CC one.

He also mentioned getting voluntary organizations and neighbours involved in support as part of the solution - sounds like a lovely way for any govt to save money - sure Mr Howard would love it too!
 

Katy44

Registered User
Sep 14, 2004
134
0
I have just been reading that story.

The wife's quote was "We cannot cope any more and we just want him to get good care," she said. "We just cannot cope any longer."

The response was "They should have gone to the local council or their GP and asked for support, and that support should have been there for them,"

And if it's not?!
 

Brenda

Registered User
Jul 21, 2004
15
0
Devon
we too listened in amazement to Ladyman this morning. Nothing has been mentioned on the point he made that carers should not feel trapped in their situation which he gave as a possible reason which gave rise to the carers of an elderly AD sufferer to be left in a hospital with a luggage label pinned to him. Also yet another green paper was mentioned which will force ss depts to provide yet more information and support to carers in the future and (it must be Christmas or maybe flying pig season) an additional £100 million plus countrywide to assist further help. However these funds will not be ringfenced and ss depts can spend the money as they think fit. Here we go again. Also on the subject of just asking and ye shall receive I spent 3 months speaking to SS answerphones earlier this year just to get someone in to give Mum a bath on a regular basis(apart from AD she was awaiting a hip replacement and was virtually immobile at this point) However on the plus side she has had the operation is a lot more mobile and a lot worse to manage!! The other plus side was that care had to be in place before she was allowed home from hospital but even this was hard won and respite homes were bandied about in the conversation.Then because she gets herself ready for the carer to come(allegedly) the SS in their wisdom called for a meeting to take her evening care away and again it was down to 'resources' But we won the day on that one as I had already asked for help from her GP which was not mentioned by the SS who had supposedly spoken to him beforehand .By the way your local stationer I am sure can provide if all else fails at a reasonable price a luggage label and a pen to address it to Ladyman for similar use illustrating yet again care in the community is working so well!!
 

Brenda

Registered User
Jul 21, 2004
15
0
Devon
Hi all
after thinking about my earlier message how about carers all sending a luggage label with the name of the person they are caring for to Stephen Ladyman and the word trapped. Just to vent our feelings if nothing else. Any views on this? By the way Jude have a good trip you deserve it
 

City Claire

Registered User
Nov 1, 2004
36
0
Oxford
Yes I think it would be great if he got them with a short personal example of the frustration (like yours of arranging bathing) of trying to get care printed on! It's a fab idea - copying them to the nationals too would be good of course, need people to hear both sides of the story. I stopped the car this morning while listening (driving the 50 miles back from Mum's to work) and desperately wanted to get hold of some TPers and say ring up now and have your say - not sure Radio 4 do that as much as Radio 5 tho'! Sorry getting carried away.
 
C

Chesca

Guest
Brenda, what a brilliant idea! I have some luggage labels buried in the depths of the 'something and everything drawer', and will dig them out.

Chesca