Monday, 6 January 2014

One family's experience of what health service delays can mean

The Jermy Family
C/o XXXXXXXX
Thetford, Norfolk
IP24 XXXXX

To;
Atos Healthcare complaints – via PIP-customerservice@atos.net
Department for Work and Pensions – Independent Case Examiner - via ice@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Chief Executive, West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust, Hardwick Lane, Bury St Edmunds IP33 2QZ
Elizabeth Truss MP for South West Norfolk – via elizbabeth.truss.mp@parliament.uk 

C.c.
Doctors Wilford & Butcher, Grove Lane Surgery, Grove Lane, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2HY


                                    Monday 5th January 2014

Dear All,

Re: Mr Trevor Jermy, National Insurance Number: XXXXXX

We are writing to complain about the length of time taken to process a Personal Independence Payment (PIP – formerly known as Disability Living Allowance) for our father Mr Trevor Jermy. And we are furthermore writing to complain about the quality of care that our father has received from the National Health Service following his stroke and the speed at which information has been provided by healthcare professionals to enable our father to receive crucial financial support.

Our father suffered a severe stroke on Friday 16th August 2013 and was admitted to West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. He remained in hospital for a period of three weeks and for the first week he was only able to receive nutrients via a drip and for the second week via pureed food. The hospital environment, with very strict visiting rules and some quite elderly stroke victims surrounding him was not conducive to dad’s recovery so it was agreed that he would be released home on the basis that our mother – Elaine Jermy – would be able to care for him. This was despite our mothers own hearing difficulties. The stroke itself was a complete shock for our father, and the family. Dad is only 55 years of age and had never had a stroke before.

Our father’s physical abilities and cognitive skills have been severely affected as a result of the stroke and he was confined to a bed for six weeks upon arriving home. The family was told that he would be able to receive weekly physiotherapy at home; but three weeks passed with no visit. It wasn’t until a family member queried this that a visit was forthcoming. There have been numerous physiotherapy appointments that were made, but people did not turn up for – and did not telephone ahead to cancel the visits, creating additional concern and worry for the family. Once being sent home, no medical personnel visited the home to check on ours father’s progress for several weeks, and a visit only occurred when our mother telephoned the local surgery and a Doctor subsequently visited.

At no stage were the family informed about any entitlement to benefits and it was only through independent research that the family became aware of PIP. Therefore, on the 24th September 2013, a claim was lodged on behalf of our father by a family member for the Personal Independence Payment. A letter was issued from the Department of Work and Pensions on the 1st October requesting additional information. This was completed and returned the same day. Following this, a 36 page questionnaire was sent to us on the 15th October 2013; this was promptly completed and returned. We were then written to on the 3rd November 2013, stating that the questionnaire had not been received – so we telephoned to query this, as it had already been sent. It was confirmed to us by the telephone call that the paperwork had indeed been received successfully.

At the end of November, we telephoned again for an update and were informed that our claim was waiting to be processed. We were informed that they were specifically awaiting medical information to decide whether or not a mobility assessment would be needed.

During December, we telephoned ATOS to ask for an update on the claim and were told that it was “awaiting processing”. We made it clear that the financial assistance was desperately needed and asked for an anticipated decision date, which they were unable to provide.

As of today (5th January 2014) – we have still not received any update regarding the PIP claim, despite the process initiating on the 24th September 2013.

Our mother is unable to claim Carers Allowance until Dads PIP claim has been resolved. It is our understanding that whilst the PIP payment can be backdated to the claim date, the Carers Allowance will only be backdated for a maximum of 12 weeks. Therefore, with the delay in processing the PIP, our mother is losing money that she is entitled to via the Carers Allowance. Furthermore, our father’s eyesight was greatly affected by the stroke and he is in need of an eye test and glasses, but cannot afford this. Once the PIP has been awarded then he is eligible for free eye treatment.

Our father was paid his basic salary by his employer whilst in hospital for a period of three weeks until he was transferred onto Statutory Sick Pay of £86.70 a week. Dad undertook a very manual role as an engineer locally for the same employer for the past 25 years. Following Dads stroke, Mum took annual leave from her employer initially, and then sick pay for a short period and was signed off work by a Doctor due to stress. Mum was put onto Statutory Sick Pay on 28th October 2013.

Therefore, the entire household income has been reduced from Dads 39 hour a week job, and Mums 30 hour a week job, to just £173.40 a week between them. This amount does not even cover the monthly mortgage payment. When Dad had the stroke he severely damaged his car, and after considerable delay and hard work on behalf of family members, the insurance company paid out £2,500 based on the cars value. This money to a large extent is what they have been living off since the stroke, with additional support being provided by family members where possible.

Both Mum and Dad have worked since the age of 16 and given significant sums of money through tax and national insurance contributions. Even when mum gave birth to us, she was back at work within six weeks. In the months prior to dad’s stroke he was paying £200 a week in tax and national insurance contributions as well as contributing £40 a week towards his own private pension. In the last financial year, according to his P60, Dad paid £5,859.60 in tax and a further £3,389.02 in National Insurance.

For somebody that has worked so hard, contributed to society and paid his way in life, we find his treatment and support available since his stroke to be utterly deplorable.

If it were not for the car insurance pay-out, and the ability of a few family members to support them financially, our parents would be in a desperate state of affairs, and likely to be adding to the queues at the local Foodbank.

To add insult to injury – Dad’s appointment at West Suffolk Hospital’s ‘Elderly and Stroke Medicine Clinic’ for a review, originally scheduled for Friday 17th January 2014, has recently been postponed until Friday 14th March 2014!

In addition to this, the family have been making attempts to make a claim through Dads critical illness insurance policy. This was initiated during September. On the 1st October 2013 the policy provider – XXXXX, wrote to us to say that they had written to both Grove Lane Surgery and West Suffolk Hospital to request medical information about Dad. Then, on the 4th November 2013, XXXXX wrote to us again to say that they had received some information from Grove Lane Surgery, but would be requesting further information and that West Suffolk Hospital had failed to respond at all. XXXXXX telephoned West Suffolk Hospital and spoke to the relevant Doctor’s Secretary who informed them that they had not received the original request. XXXXXXXX duly sent the request via fax that same day. On the 12th November 2013, XXXXXXX wrote to us to say that they had still not received any information from West Suffolk Hospital. This claim has still not been processed and we have still not received any financial support from this policy.

We hope that this letter may serve on a personal level to ensure the prompt completion of the PIP process and serve as a wider wake-up call that the system is clearly failing.



Yours sincerely,




Terry Jermy                           Michelle Jermy                                 Ricky Jermy              

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