Social services brick wall

[Alex54]

The following is an extract of several emails between myself and social services over the last few days, regarding my request to see my wife's care assessment. After finally getting to read the assessment there was nothing controversial at all in it, which begs the question of why put up all the barriers in the first place?
Social services extracts are shown in blue text.


Following "best interest" meeting this week, Could you send me my wife's care assessment?

In respect of the paperwork new assessments will need to be completed and there is a procedure to follow when requesting paperwork. If you still wish to follow this I can send you the details however we will need to consider why you need the paperwork and unfortunately at this stage you do not have any legal powers such as Power of Attorney which may be an issue​

Why have I requested the assessments? because when I have talked to other professionals they tell me to look at the care assessment or look at the risk assessment. Are you telling me that I have been given false advice?
So I will ask again, please forward me the care and risk assessments as they stand now.

I think it would be best if we met in person so that we can discuss things on a face to face basis as it is so easy to misunderstand things when they are in an e-mail and it is difficult to explain comments. I totally appreciate that you want to ask questions and receive answers.​

Sorry, that is not good enough!
Either tell me I have no right to see the assessments on my wife, or send them to me now.

I have discussed this further and we will give you a copy of the assessment.
I could find a room at our office for you to sit and go through it and then I can return and hopefully answer any questions that you have with regards to the assessment.
Alternatively we can e-mail this to you password protected.​

 

[Grannie G]

Alternatively we can e-mail this to you password protected.

Perhaps they are trying to save on paperwork.

The supermarket which I use for home delivery no longer supplies a paper delivery note but emails it to me. They say ;

We made this change because we were using over 40 million sheets of paper a year printing delivery notes. Placed end to end that's enough paper to run from Paris to New York and back again! On the morning of your delivery or collection, you'll still receive an eDelivery Note by email.

 

[Sarasa]

I think I'd take them up on the offer of a meeting to discuss. Yes it would be useful to have the assessment first so you can highlight concerns, but I take their point about it being easier to explain things face to face.

 

[canary]

These replies are standard for requests to see any medical records - whether they are controversial or not.

I too would think it would be a good idea for you to have a face to face discussion about them.

 

[Alex54]

I think I'd take them up on the offer of a meeting to discuss. Yes it would be useful to have the assessment first so you can highlight concerns, but I take their point about it being easier to explain things face to face.

Thanks Sarasa, when I finally got to read the assessment it was completely straight forward and nothing controversial.

The main issues I have is that Social Services pushed for my wife to go into a nursing home despite the fact that their own assessment supported her being cared for at home.

The damage has been done, my wife is now bed-bound and unable to walk, all due to the actions of social services preventing her from returning home.

 

[jugglingmum]

Alternatively we can e-mail this to you password protected.

The password protection is a GDPR requirement

Oddly I am aware some have gone back to sending docs out by paper, as electronic personal data needs to be 'secured'

A password on a document is not considered secure enough by some, and fines for GDPR breaches are big.

I know that SS have had massive issues on the way they work due to GDPR and the way things have been worded this might be some of cause if obstructive behaviour - complete nuts.

 

[GRIM57]

I have cared for my wife for 11 years as her condition has developed from Mild Cognitive Impairment before our Young Onset Alzheimer's diagnosis in 2015, at 61. I have to say that Social Services have NEVER helped us! Recently I had a Carer's Assessment leaflet from NHS about .Someone to cover, Gym membership Local Support. None of these things are available from our Social Services and NHS staff are in a fantasy land thinking SS will provide these sorts of support! Social Workers are 'budget controllers'. My wife is now in Sectioned directly because the Social Worker didn't bother to do her job properly and put her in Respite with sufferers who are much more disturbed than my wife. Wake up and realize 'no body cares!

 

[Alex54]

Wake up and realize 'no body cares!

You are absolutely right, the social worker we had was very caring and then all of sudden changed and made a complete mess of things, and it is the person with the illness that suffers.