Can i have some advice...semi vent about OT

[beldaran]

This may be a little long so i apologise in advance but i need to give all information so you can help me out.

In March 2008 i made a referall to the Childrens Disability Service (CDS) to ask for an Occupational Therapy assessment. We had a letter in April 08 to say that we had been put on the waiting list.

In December 2008 we finally got our assessment appointment, now through circumstances we could not control the OT was late and my DD was due to go to the doctors having become rather ill, so our appointment was only about 45 minutes long. I wasnt very happy with the meeting, but as it was the week before christmas i thought that they would make another appointment to come back out after christmas.

In January 2009 we received our assessment report, which to be honest wasnt worth the paper it was written on. The OT had made things up and assumed a lot of information. We would have preferred an incomplete report rather than a made up one! With the report we also received a letter to say that the OT was leaving the CDS, now we received these letters AFTER she had actually left and she was the only OT in the CDS.

We wrote a 2 page letter outlining our complaints and asking for another assessment,we which did have, granted it was with an OT from a different Local Council but under the same Borough Council (hope that makes sense). We finally got our reassessment and completed report over 1 year after i made the initial referal.

Included with this was our application for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). We sent the forms back at the end of March 2009.

Fast forward to today, nearly 2 months later, and after having spoken with the family fund about whether they would fund some decking outside, they informed me they needed a refusual from the Local Authority to do the work before they could grant it. So i phone the CDS, after asking to speak to the OT they tell me they havent got one. Now its almost 6 months since original OT left! The manager phones me back and says that they have just "found" our paperwork and have sent it off .

So, would i be unreasonable to make a complaint about this whole faff? And would PALS be the best place? Or do i just let it go and get on with things?

Hi, so sorry to hear about your problems with OT and Disability team.

I would say that you have to fight and make yourself heard for the sake of your DS.

We are in a similar situation, and wondering how far to take it. Read on if you want, but don't worry if you don't want to hear!

DD has been ill for a year. I have been trying to work to keep up the mortgage payments. We asked for help from CDS and also an OT assessment in Jnauary. 6 weeks later I was told I had never been referred, which was totally untrue. Then received a letter saying we had been put on urgent waiting list since Jan. Eventually phoned in April and asked how long it would take as DD was in serious danger of injury. I was told it would be months before she could be assessed. My reply was to ask who would be responsible if DD ended up with serious injury (or worse)? Would it be me for not shouting loud enough, or them for not completing an urgent assessment for a child in serious daily danger for 4 months. Two hours later I had a call from the manager saying they would come and assess in 3 days time!

CDS is another very long story, which I won't bore you with now. That issue I am assured will be sorted on Monday, although I have heard that line for the past 8 weeks! We are seriously considering complaining, but from experience they all cover their own backs and when is convenient seem to get away with a "I don't remember", even if there is evidence to the contrary. (.....Complaint against local Social services 12 years ago following an intercountry adoption.)

If you complain, keep all the evidence. Note every phone call, or use email and keep them. And don't really expect to get anything out of it, but it could shake them enough to take you seriously, and at least may make things better for those coming after you. (but don't hold your breath!)

The hardest part I am finding is that I actually like the person I am dealing with and she agrees with me about how badly our case has been handled. If i didn't like her, I could have a go without feeling so guilty.

I wish you well and hope that you get what you need to make your families life easier. Please post and tell me how you get on. Sorry for extra long post!

Thank you for replying. I'm sorry that are having a tough time aswell. I hope that you get what you need.

I think i do know where to complain to, i just need her name lol. Do you have a Childrens Centre in your area? It might be worth trying to speak to someone there about complaints, as i know the senior Health Visitor (who i think is kind of a coordinator for services etc) at ours and she is going to dig around and find out who is the top level person to complain to.

It getting to the point where its not just about me and our situation anymore, its about all of the other people who are in the same position and maybe if one person makes a complaint it might open the door for other people aswell IYSWIM.

Wishing you the best.

I am not sure if we have a children' centre. There is a building where OT, Physio, CDT and others are based all together. You would think this would make communication easy between them, but they may as well be hundreds of miles apart!
Anyway, I am staying positive and fingers crossed we will get an answer today as promised!! I won't hold my breath, though.
Good luck with yours, let me know how it goes.

Quel Suprise!!!???? No phone call despite their promises!!! If anyone ran a business like these people run their departments they would go bust overnight!
Maybe tomorrow

Yeah i know that feeling well.

I was rather suprised today to have a phone call from the OT at the Childrens Centre about an appointment, which i had left 5 (!) messages about and no one had rung me back (we initally had an appointment in april but DD had ear infections so had to cancel) they now tell me that the next block of assessment aren't until end of July.

I have found the details of the social services complaints procedure, so i guess thats where im going next.

Go for it!!
Where did you get the copy of the social services complaints proceedure? Did you have to ask them for it? Or is it on line anywhere?

OUr arguement with SS has come about after trying to secure a carer for DD for when I am working as she cannot be left alone for her own safety. 2 weeks ago we had an "urgent" meeting that took months to get organised and it was agreed that they would fund this. Still waiting for a signature now! At the meeting I said we needed it sorted out immediately. TOday I arrived home 2.5 hours before I should have done, luckily, to DD flat out on floor having fallen and unable to get herself up! Frustration abounds!!
Some tricky phone calls in the morning I think! But I am so fed up of fighting! Why is everything so hard?

Sorry for the rant, a bad day!!

Let me know how you get on with your complaint. I hope you get what you need and want!