The complainer is mad, the complained about is sane...I dispute that emphatically!

In order to have your needs met in Ireland you must become a 'professional' in disability, health, law and advocacy!  You can no longer assume you will be 'cared' for if sick or disabled.

For our health service, called the HSE is now simply a service that works to deny you any service at all! The ENERGY used by the 'skilled professional service' (sic-quote the HSE manger in my case) is solely on managing how NOT to provide a service.

So what service am I asking for?....well on the scale of things not that much:

1. A powered wheelchair I can use
2. Physiotherapy, which is on-going, effective and helps me to be pain free for dystonia , arthritis and more.
3. special shoes
4. PA support to live life to the full, equally and purposively
5. support to live independently.

I have recently had to obtain ALL my files from the local HSE services who purport to 'care' for me.

Here they are!  I am one client. I am asking for support as a sick, elderly, disabled person living independently and there are 18 files on me.

I am going through each file with a fine tooth comb. And I find the evidence of mismanagement, of disregard, of cynicism, of defamation, breaches of confidentiality, and more. Comments are made without fact. In fact, it seems, anything goes!

Reading these documents the 'tone' of my professional 'carer's' are less than caring...almost vicious, certainly cold, cool and angry.

I believe certain people are lying to cover their backs , redaction of large swathes seem suspiciously unnecessary. Thus telling me the cop out of ' protection of 3rd party information' under section 37 (1) is being misused to allow persons to 'say things about me - without me' knowing!

 

In some places there are many pages 'redacted' , as much as 6 pages, 10 pages, which can only mean a report about me (since this file is only about ME - its my file).

 

I find that letters to TD's or senators or even An Taoiseach are answered with 'economy of the truth' with a slant towards portraying me as 'difficult', 'obstructive' and 'challenging'. Well, that perception is theirs. I call it 'intelligent' responses to a broken service.

 

e.g "she refused the new wheelchair without even trying it".  Yes I did because it did NOT have automatic tilt facilities, was NOT an outdoor wheelchair, which I needed, and was a cheep basic powered wheelchair not suitable to me needs. I know wheelchairs I research wheelchairs. I am not stupid. Nor had I , by the time of the offer, had a proper wheelchair and seating assessment.

 

"she refused wheelchair/seating assessment at .....hospital" , yes I did, because that hospital is NOT a recognised wheelchair and seating assessment establishment nor independent of the HSE. I wanted to go to an INDEPENDENT, specialist wheelchair and seating establishment. My right.

 

It now almost impossible to get TDs or Senators to do more than just 'write a letter' and to actively challenge HSE service provision. They send the first letter  and you are delighted to finally find someone who will 'fight your corner' but quickly you find...ah...no...they only want to write ONE letter. And when the HSE respond that I have had an 'expert, skilled and fully professional service' the elected politicians take this as gospel. It is NOT in their best interest to make enemies of the HSE management.

 

The minister for Health Leo Varadkar has refused to meet me and says he cannot intervene:

       

Under the health act 2004, the Health Service executive) is required to manage, deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf , health and personal social services. Under section 6 of the HSE governance act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

 

So, in fact the Minister for Health is NOT in charge of health.  So why is he intervening in getting hospital A&E's serving individuals but not us in the community?

 

It was a nice Act, that 2013 Act, simply barred any ministerial oversight of the HSE in local communities.

           

Ditto charitable bodies...they write the first letter...then quickly back off. Why? because its NOT in THEIR best interest to upset the HSE from whom a large proportion of funding for their charity emanates from.  Better not 'bite the hand that feeds you', sort of thing.

 

so where else can you go?

 

We disabled, sick people could go to the equality tribunal. An entity in name only. Most cannot afford the solicitors fees to be represented there. and even if the tribunal says its an 'informal, almost like mediation, all round the table like civilised human beings stuff...no its not!

 

you NEED legal representation and few solicitors take on the HSE and few do pro bono work. You'll find yourself faced with the full force of HSE barristers and solicitors across the table. I know. Been there.

 

What about the Human rights commission?  Well that has been almost completely devastated by cuts to the service. you can wait years to be even considered. I know.

 

What about 'Your Say - Your Service', the HSE complaints body... Any complaints you make to the HSE are handled by HSE managers, of the very person you are complaining about! You invariably don't 'win'! You cant win. its designed for you NOT to win!

 

and if you make too many complaints you are deemed a 'serial complainer' under the vexatious policies...and in both mine and twins case made so without even being informed, which is against policies and illegal!  Such that I complained about being called a serial complainer and for ONCE my complaint was upheld by the ombudsman.

 

They didn't get away with THAT little ploy.

 

You might say the 'relationship' between the client and the carer's (HSE) has irretrievably broken down...yes it has. seriously so.

 

Trust has been broken by the behaviour of an intransigent, bullying entity that the HSE has become.

 

So what happens the sick, disabled person denied any support, care or compassion by the HSE.....

 

They are referred to psychiatry....the last attack on the difficult, challenging, ungrateful sod of a client. They are mad, yes, defo....that's it.

 

Gotta be MAD to fight with the HSE.

 

My 'paranoia' of the HSE is rooted in evidence. I have the evidence but Ireland being Ireland I wouldn't be at all surprised if those of us who complain are sent to some new 'asylum'.