Kirkcaldy man demands apology after winning three-year social care bill fight
A disabled Kirkcaldy man who refused to pay a bill for home care he claimed he did not receive has won his three-year fight with the council.
- By Claire Warrender
- Published in the Courier : 14.12.11
- Published online : 14.12.11 @ 05.02pm
Alan Smith (55) alleged he was ''harassed'' by Fife Council's social work service for £3,231.25, despite maintaining the figure was wildly inaccurate.
His upset was compounded when he received another bill from the local authority for £2,455 to cover services received between April and August this year.
However, the council has agreed to cancel the invoices and, after an assessment, will charge £12.50 per week — far less than the £129.50 originally imposed.
Mr Smith has demanded an apology from social work executive director Stephen Moore and committee chairman Tim Brett.
Mr Smith, who suffers from hereditary spastic paraplegia and uses a mobility scooter, disputed the council's assessment of the hours of care he receives.
Despite support from Campaign Against Charges and Cuts (CACC), he said the long-running dispute had caused him considerable stress.
Mr Smith said: ''I'm happy it's been sorted out at long last but it's been frustrating to wait three years for it to happen. It was very frustrating and annoying, although I've always been satisfied with my care.''
CACC said that since November 2008 Mr Smith has received demand letters, final notices, intimidating phone calls and letters threatening court action.
Spokeswoman Maureen Closs said: ''It seems to Alan and to CACC that managers have lost sight of the main issue, which is that he is a service user who, by virtue of his disabilities, requires both personal care and housing support.
''To have placed him in a state of constant fear and alarm is unforgivable.''
She added: ''Unlike most clients who receive only one week of monitoring their service to determine actual input by carers, Alan has been on constant monitoring since April of this year.
''This is not commonplace and social work have confirmed that only five other clients in Fife have this because they pay high rates of charges and any change in service could cost them a lot.''
Ms Closs said: ''Alan is different in that he is on a much lower charge because of his income and a variation in service would not alter the amount he would be required to pay.
''Alan has very much resented having this done and believes this is his retribution for having stayed firm until proper procedures were implemented. He also considers it to be drain on social work resources.''
Monitoring sheets showed Mr Smith received on average fewer than four and a half hours of home care per week, not the nine hours first claimed by the council.
Ms Closs said: ''Alan has been paying his charges since August of this year at the rate of £12.50 per week and feels relieved that it is all over.
''He has great respect for the carers who work with him. His fight has always been with senior management who have caused him many sleepless nights.''
Adult services manager Helen Townsend said: ''Although an offer of a financial assessment was made at a much earlier date, the social work service were not able to carry this out due to a number of matters raised by Mr Smith and CACC over a long period of time.
''It is unfortunate that this happened, however matters have now been resolved satisfactorily.''
06.06pm - 14.12.2011 Harry STEPHEN - Torrox Costa, Spain Report This
Well Done Alan. Now will those responsible for the harassment resign or be fired ? (preferably from a cannon)
10.54pm - 14.12.2011 Thornindaside - perth, scotland Report This
Personally if I had the power I'd remove the assessment of need and charging levels out of the hands of local authority social work departments.Mind you I'd also remove the right of local authourities to self evaluate or investigate complaints of staff practise in any dept by the public in house
12.22pm - 15.12.2011 Ian - Perth, UK Report This
Far too many "high heid yins" are so pre-occupied with £ signs and balance sheets that they forget that the only reason for their existence is to take care of the more vulnerable members of society. Shame on them for the treatment meted out to Mr Smih.
04.15pm - 15.12.2011 Thornindaside - perth, scotland Report This
Perhaps Ms Townsend should have opened the lines of communication and entered into a meaningfull dialogue long ago with Mr Smith.After all is n't the modern way to concentrate on ability not disability and as Mr Smith has the ability to recognised failure of service a full apology would n't go amiss
04.27pm - 16.12.2011 Volare - Cupar, Scotland Report This
What a pity this gentleman's income could not have been assessed at a much earlier stage, then all of this stress could have been avoided. I wonder why this wasn't done?
04.30pm - 16.12.2011 Eve - Ladybank, Scotland Report This
He has being paying since August this year?? Mu Dad has been paying since 2008. Clever tactic!!!
09.55am - 17.12.2011 Thornindaside - perth, scotland Report This
Is n't there the little matter of being billed for more hours of care than Mr Smith received and the excessive time it took through monitoring to prove the time actually given.Was Mr Smith being shortchanged in a needs assessed services or are Social Work Dept books clocking up phantom worker hours.
03.38pm - 17.12.2011 Eve - Ladybank, Scotland Report This
Volare http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Fife/article/6211/alan-smith-s-fury-at-inflated-fife-council-home-care-costs.html The Council has been trying to assess him since October last year. This could have been sorted out then if CACC hadn't used this man as a political football.
07.04pm - 20.12.2011 Eve - Ladybank, Scotland Report This
If he is being billed £12.50 a week, he is being billed for about an hour of care. Is there any suggestion, he has received less than that? We don't know how many hours of care he received as the Social Work Dept are not allowed to comment and we only have CACC's one-sided and very biased view.
10.27am - 21.12.2011 Thornindaside - perth, scotland Report This
@ 12.50ph 4 1/2 hrs work out at 56.25 per week,means testing bring it down to 12.50.The same means testing would have brought 129.50 down to 12.50 but it still leaves a possible disparagy of hours billed for.Ms Townsend a social work employee has made comment which comes across dismissive and curt .
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