Tuesday 20 October 2009

Need Incontinence Pads From The NHS?

Better contact your local newspaper instead (direct link n/a - go to p18):
A house-bound pensioner says he was left distressed when he had to wait days for urgent sanitary items, which are available in supermarkets, because his carer is not responsible for their supply.
Ah, of course. It's the good old NHS diversification yet again.

The elderly man contacted the 'Barking and Dagenham Post' after being given the runaround for three days by various health departments and 'Well, s'not MY job mate, innit?' care workers, when he was down to only two pads. So the enterprising reporters went to their local supermarket, bought a pack, and delivered it with the paper's compliments!

Good for them, and I don't say this often. Of course, they no doubt expressed their intentions to run it as a story.

And then the excuses started:
A council spokeman said the carer is only responsible for daily chores but can contact a district nurse from the community health service if any health-related issues arise.
And they said...
Joanne Stevens, from the community health service, said the supply of the pads was made through a seperate organisation that makes the order, although she would not disclose which one.
No, I bet...
She said the normal ordering process was followed and Mr King was due to be seen by a district nurse on Monday to ensure that everything was running as it should. On Friday afternoon, Mr King said he had received the delivery.
Well, Janet sweetie, everything is clearly not 'running as it should be' if an elderly man has to ring the local newspaper to get someone to put a bomb under the lazy, inefficient, couldn't-care-less boxtickers that we seem to be employing as 'care' assistants.

Is it?

5 comments:

TDK said...

Let me make a wild, totally unsubstantiated guess.

The pads supplied by the state via the NHS/SS cost twice what the pads would have cost if bought by a home help in the supermarket.

Weekend Yachtsman said...

TDK is probably right.

And, in addition, it will turn out in the end that the carer is not allowed to supply the items "due to Health and Safety".

Anyone betting against?

JuliaM said...

"Let me make a wild, totally unsubstantiated guess.

The pads supplied by the state via the NHS/SS cost twice what the pads would have cost if bought by a home help in the supermarket."


Almost certainly. That's the Simple Shopper for you!

"Anyone betting against?"

Sadly, these day's no-one with any sense...

blueknight said...

I have just thought of another way that a local newspaper could assist the pensioner.

JuliaM said...

"I have just thought of another way that a local newspaper could assist the pensioner."

This one's very pro-Labour, so it's unlikely to happen...