£170 for two hours cleaning reasonable?

[FlunkyDunkles]

Hi, I dislocated and fractured my shoulder last week because of a fall. Wet conditions have made paths muddy. I've been off work and I feel unable to keep the house clean in the meantime. I can't use sore arm to balance if using the other to scrub, for example. I've been chasing the NHS today as I was told while in A&E, I would be getting a Occupation Health call the day after.

A week later, after 1 hour of going round the houses, I'm told I won't be getting occupational health call, the fracture clinic was all I was getting. When I confirmed I could go to the toilet by myself and feed myself, there was nothing else they would provide due to my age (41). If I was older, yes. Any cleaning help would have to arranged and paid by myself.

I often feel, services don't lift a finger for people living alone - assuming or hoping you have a support network and if not, "good luck". It was thus when I was trying to get an ambulance the week before and NHS 24 said they would - except I had my dog with me....could no-one else do it?

I later find out local authorities have a legal obligation to look after dogs of people needing hospital admission - this information wasn't provided. Me having my dog was reversed to block ambulance provision to me - is how it felt.

Anyway, when I looked at cleaning services in my area, one was charging £170 for two people to clean for 2 hours, working through a list you provide, there was no guarantee they would finish the list. That seems really high...is that reasonable?

Thanks in advance!

But to answer the question, yes it's expensive. £25 an our max here.

I don’t really understand your post. You think you should get a state funded carer while recovering, is that it? I’m single parent to 3, no family in the country. I had surgery last year and got myself home in a taxi and had to manage the kids the house everything on my own. But this is expected! Meant the laundry was slower than usual, we had more takeaways than usual and the house wasn’t picture perfect. But otherwise everyone was fed washed and fine. Not sure what it is you are expecting to happen?

I pay £17 an hour , in Surrey.

That sounds like a deep clean charge. Is that what you're after? A normal clean where I live is £20-£25 an hour for one person.

I later find out local authorities have a legal obligation to look after dogs of people needing hospital admission

And, were you admitted?
Or just in A and E?

Not the point but it would have been Occupational Therapy, not Occupational Health. And they would just give advice on managing one handed which you’ve probably worked out yourself even if you had heard from them. Sounds like this whole incident has made you feel vulnerable and scared, knocked your confidence perhaps?

It would not occur to me to expect any cleaning from the NHS or any home help unless I was elderly or already under social care. Even fully funded carers don’t usually clean. I also wouldn’t expect a dog to be allowed in an ambulance as paramedics don’t know the temperament of the dog or whether it’s trained.

Anyway yes I think that is expensive and you would have better luck with an independent person on Facebook who can fit you in for the time you can’t use your arm.

I don’t think there should be an obligation to provide extra services for people simply because they are on their own and I say that as someone living alone with all family in a different country, although 5 years younger than you

While it’s miserable having a fracture, I think your expectations of the health service are massively unreasonable and it’s a shame that rant took up the vast proportion of your post when it was irrelevant to the actual question asked.

No one, of any age, any diagnosis, any family set-up, would get normal household cleaning services paid for by the NHS. No one would automatically get an occupational health referral following an arm injury - this would be arranged through your employer to consider adjustments to work. Perhaps you mean occupational therapy? Again, a 41 year old with an arm injury who is mobile and able to maintain their own hygiene and nutritional needs should not require this and will not be referred. Perhaps you were misled about this which is unfortunate.

And about the ambulance / dog…if you were out alone with the dog when you fell, what on earth would the paramedics be expected to do with it?? Put it in the ambulance and bring it to A&E? Take it home with them? Either way, most people with an arm injury should be able to make their own way to A&E, by taxi if necessary, especially when services are so stretched that people who cannot be safely moved after a fall can lie on pavements for hours. And all pet owners should expect to make financial and practical provision for their pets in an emergency / any situation. Perhaps this is something to make a plan for.

Even older people with long term packages of care don’t get cleaning included in that. A carer may was a dish after heating up a microwave mess meal but that would be it. They are expected to pay for cleaners.
Occupational therapy would have looked at strategies to do tasks one handed.
its scary falling and injuring yourself, I’m sure you’re anxious. But the vast majority of cleaning tasks can be carried out singled handed, and the bigger tasks can wait till you’re able to use your injured arm again.

You live in your own, you can’t do anything because of your injury, how dirty can your house be getting???

I’m pregnant, sore & tired, can I get a prescription for 12 months of cleaning too?

You can clean one handed. I had a frozen shoulder, literally couldn't move my arm it was locked by my side. I cleaned 2 holiday cottages one handed for 6 months. The only thing I couldn't do was change a duvet cover. I can't believe you thought the NHS would pay for a cleaner!

Did you think the NHS would pay for you to have a cleaner while you recover?

You live alone so just clean what you can with one arm for now. Concentrate on recovery and don't worry too much about mess.

The fracture clinic are good in my local hospital and could hopefully refer you to physiotherapy. I broke my shoulder and it's very annoying isn't it? I hope you recover smoothly. Though it may take a while.

I think the going rate for a cleaner is about £20ph.

I'm sure I could work the hoover with one hand, though it might be a good excuse as to why there are biscuit crumbs on the living room carpet, rather than admitting i couldn't be arsed. I'm sure i could cook a basic meal provided I didn't use the Le Creuset casserole or need to carve a beef joint.

So you think the NHS should pay for a cleaner/ dog care? Very odd expectation to have but I feel people are more entitled and less resilient today.

Of course NHS won't pay.
Get another quote.

That’s insanely expensive. I charge £65 for 4 hours cleaning, (fully insured, DBS checked, excellent references etc). Look on your local NextDoor or similar to find a decent cleaner.

Your attitude is bizarre 😂

£18-20 per hour is normal near to me. I have a cleaner twice a week for 2 hours each time. I find the 4 hours split over Monday and Thursday is best for me. My cleaner vacuums sitting room with large rug both days and cleans kitchen both days. Other jobs she does on one day.

My mum lives alone at 72 and has early stage dementia for which she does not need care. She fractured her shoulder and we were provided with 2 weeks care of 1 visit per day to help with dressing, prepping a meal, washing etc. After this we self funded several more weeks due to her needing it. No cleaning was included, as others have said this is not essential personal care for recovery and the expectation is that it can wait a few weeks. We pay 18ph for cleaning (so 1hr but 2 people is 36). North west so cheaper than some areas.

I pay £50 for 2 people to do 1 hour (so £25 an hour really)

Don't know about cleaning costs, but I think you are being a bit unreasonable in your expectation of social support in the wake of a fractured/dislocated shoulder. I've never heard of help with cleaning in those circumstances. My expectation would be a grubby house until I could use my arm better!

And as for the dog/ambulance situation, that sounds more like a lack of foresight on your part, understandable in the stressful circumstances but nobody's fault.
Could you not have got a taxi, rather than using an ambulance?

The local authority pays/organises for the care of animals of those detained under the MHA. Nothing else.

one of my amhp colleagues had to organise the care of a herd of cows once!

Social services do organise the care of animals in other circumstances other than MHA stat detention - I used to do it. It's not common, but it does happen.