Nhs Carers Enablement Team

[Barquentine]

Does anyone have experience of an elderly relative in hospital with a fracture after a fall and about to be discharged.

Occupational therapist at hospital put in application for care assistance at home after discharge from hospital. This is for Mother-in-Law. Wife got a call yesterday (Sunday) from 'enablement team' rep at local council. He told us free carers could be available for up to 6 weeks. If MiL needs ongoing care after that - and he strongly advised he believes MiL will need that - then ongoing care via council (they arrange through an agency) costs £288 per week for 3 x 30min + 1 x 45 min visits per day. We agreed to have free carers while she recuperates at home and then decide about ongoing care for £288 per week. Enablement team
chap said he will put in application for home carers to be provided.

This morning (only 18 hours after Sunday afternoon call) my wife had a call from the same chap at council enablement team to say the application ad been refused so we would have to start paying £288 per week for carers straight away. I asked him why initial free care (for 3 and up to 6 weeks) had been refused. His explanation was that 'they' (whoever had decided this overnight) only offer the 3-6 week free carers for discharged patients who after that period will not need ongoing care, whereas their view is MiL WILL need long-term ongoing care. (so his opinion about her need for long-term care was same as day before, but he made no linkage between that and the initial free care availability the day before).

Since I am a highly suspicious and cynical person I disbelieve everything I see and hear until I have checked and verified it. So - does anyone know if there is some kind of scam here, whereby this council "enablement team" chap from 'Intergrated Social Services' will get a commission or a back-hander in a brown envelope from the agency he seems overkeen to arrange carers from. He did keep emphasising if we don't go for this £1,248 per month package through him and arrange privately it could cost £2000 per week!

The present position is he is sending through 'financial agreement' forms - and he said they need Mother in Law's bank details - access to her bank accounts and access to her assets. We will check this but I hope all we do is a standing order or direct debit and he doesn't actually mean they 'have access' in the sense of taking money from her accounts themselves.

We will certainly need to freedom to cancel this arrangement if it proves not to be useful for MiL.

This is our first time in this minefield so any experience/advice/warnings any of you nice AB people have would be most welcome. Thank you.

[barry1010]

No, he won't get any backhanders, commission, perk or any other incentives for doing his job.
No, the NHS won't be able to dip into your mother in law's bank accounts.
Private care is expensive but you should check it out yourself, then you will be in a better position to make decisions.

This mentions paying for care if needed for more than six weeks
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/care-after-a-hospital-stay/care-after-illness-or-hospital-discharge-reablement/

[Blubster]

My old mum kept falling at home, which culminated in her having a seven-week stay in hospital. Upon her release, and the fact that she could barely walk, an enablement team was sent to her home to try and get her up and walking again under her own steam. The biggest job was getting her in and out of bed, as during her sojourn in hospital, her legs became severely swollen. They were there for four weeks f.o.c., any extra weeks to be paid for.

No sooner had the service stopped, she fell down her stairs from top to bottom while attempting to get into her stairlift. Luckily, they supplied her with a fall-detecting wristwatch and the monitoring service alerted me. She's now back in hospital.

[bednobs]

there is nothing stopping you from contacting an agency to ask for quotes to satisfy yourself that what the person is saying is correct.

[bednobs]

sounds like she needs a LOT of care. even residential care doesnt usually cost £2k a week - more like 1.5k PW depending on area of the country.
I think that you have previously said she also has dementia-type mental health problems?

[Barsel]

Are these care packages means tested?
I was told I would need a care package when I come out of hospital when I've had both my knees replaced, and that depending on which benefit I receive, would depend on how much I would have to pay.

[Giggsie]

Barsel not both at once surely my hubby tried both at once but told not allowed to do it. I managed fine when I came home from knee replacement just take it easy.

[Barsel]

Not both at the same time, no.
Had a phone call today to say I can go in for the first op on Mon 26th June.

[barry1010]

Good luck, Barsel

[Giggsie]

Barsel do what your told and you’ll be fine. I’ve had both done found easier with first don’t know why but great now. Well worth it. Take care.