Essex County Council cuts to care devastate disabled lady

Sophie Weaver, who lives in Mersea Island, uses a wheelchair all the time having lived with arthritis-like Stills Disease since the age of six.

As the 53-year-old lives on her own, she has had 24 hour care for years provided by personal assistants she trusts who help her go to the toilet, dress and get in and out of bed.

Every year Essex County Council reviews her needs and the costs of her care. It makes direct payments to Sophie who then pays her carers.

But the council now wants to reduce her 24 hour care to 15 hours - eight of those at night, when the PA sleeps over at Sophie’s house, and seven hours during the day.

Read Essex County Council's full response at the foot of this article

She has been told to prioritise what is important to her during those seven hours and to wear continence pads as a crude subsitition for going to the toilet during the hours when her carer isn’t there.

Devastated - Sophie Weaver

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“I was absolutely gutted and galled when I was told the plan,” said Sophie.

“I felt it was coming but I never thought it would be this drastic.

“I thought I won’t have a life anymore. I am a town councillor and a member of the local drama group… all I am going to be doing now is sitting at home waiting all day for my next set of care.

“The greater the reduction, the less quality of life I will have. It feels like as long as I am fed and watered then the rest of my life can be ignored.

“The suggestion of continence pads was a disgrace, I am not incontinent. I feel I am being made more disabled than I actually am.”

With the new arrangement for Sophie’s care due to begin on March 6, she says it feels like “doomsday”.

She added: “I will no longer be able to just pop to the pub or go to the shops, I will have no spontaneity in my life.

“I’m not yet an old age pensioner but I feel I am being made to become one; it’s like my own personal lockdown.

“To be honest, it feels like my execution.”

Essex County Council's response in full:

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “We understand how distressing any proposed changes to existing care support can be, and we are committed to working with people who are concerned to ensure that they continue to receive right level of support that they need. 

“This may include conducting a full review of the person’s needs to ensure we have fully understood their circumstances, and phasing in any changes to ensure that they are appropriate and they work, whilst continuing to support the person throughout the process. 

“The wellbeing of every Essex resident remains our utmost priority along with an appropriate resolution.”