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Liam Tunney, 15 Jul
A Mid Ulster MLA has again called on the Northern Trust to address the
issue of respite services for adults with complex needs.
Sinn FĂ©in MLA Emma Sheerin said she had been constantly raising the
issue with the local health trust and the Department of Health.
“As with domiciliary care in the community, the Covid-19 pandemic saw
many families stepping up, filling the gap, and taking on full caring
responsibility for their loved ones,” she said.
“We've seen this across the board, where families gave up their care
packages for elderly relatives in order to minimise traffic through
their homes.
“People who should have been working remotely ended up taking on full
time carer roles as well as doing their jobs.
“It was the exact same for those living with adults with additional
needs - the day services all but totally disappeared, and families
became full time carers overnight.
“This disrupted routines and caused untold damage for people living
with autism, learning difficulties, and complex needs.
“Since we began our journey out of lockdown, adults with special needs
have been somewhat of a forgotten cohort, with adult services the last
to resume.
“I've received calls from constituents about centres closing, bus
routes stopping, literally overnight because of a Covid outbreak.
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'Unlawful disposals', 'legal advice ignored' and 'perceived conflicts
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The Northern Ireland Audit Office has published its report this
morning.
“The Trust should have contingency plans in place so that this does not
happen.
Ms Sheerin said that though the situation was heading towards
normality, overnight stay capacity, which she described as a 'lifeline
for families', was still running at a minimal service.
'Previously families with a relative with a learning difficulty would
have had a timetable covering a 6 month period, telling them which
weekends and weeks they would be able to have respite,” she said.
“That's something that is so key for families in order to plan breaks
and have holidays, especially in situations where there might be other
children in the family.
“I have written to the trust to ask that this resumes and goes back to
a full normal service as a matter of urgency, and also that our full
suite of respite and day services are assessed so that we can look
after the many many unpaid carers across our area, without whom society
would not function.
“The caring economy is worth millions across the North, and it is time
that family carers received the recognition for what they are doing.”
Meanwhile, independent MLA Claire Sugden has said respite care must
return to at least pre-pandemic levels as soon as possible to avoid
parents and carers becoming “burnt out”.
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Pressure grows on Council to act after 'damning' Audit Office report
A number of councillors have joined The Department in calling for
action.
Respite services, which give those looking after children and adults
with additional needs some time off from often full time caring, remain
well below levels seen prior to the covid-19 outbreak. This is the case
across all Northern Ireland health and social care trusts.
“Caring for a loved one can be a 24-hour a day job, and even with
unwavering dedication, people simply need a break,” Ms Sugden said.
“I have been questioning Executive ministers for many months about the
level of respite care that is available for people, yet the situation
remains that this is still wholly inadequate.
“Many people have been running on empty for months, if not now years,
which comes at a detriment to their own physical and mental wellbeing.
We simply have to look after parents and carers so they can continue
their vital role in caring for their loved one.”
There was a lack of services prior to the pandemic, Ms Sugden said. The
ambition now should be to improve on pre-pandemic levels.
“We need to start moving in the right direction – with respite support,
but also right across the health and social care system,” she
continued. “This means not just getting back to pre-pandemic levels,
but aiming to improve on them as well.
“This may mean changing how the system is designed and implemented, but
the result must be that families are better supported in looking after
their vulnerable relatives.”