A retired football club boss who protested after being billed £4,000 for his late mother’s nursing care has received an apology from the social work service.
Two years ago former Lochore Welfare boss Brian Menzies, 70, stood outside Fife House in Glenrothes with a hand-painted placard to protest against the charges, which, in his case, were eventually dropped by the council.
Mr Menzies, of Glencraig, near Lochgelly, believed his late mother Bett Wells should never have been charged £4,000 for residential care because he said she was receiving treatment which should have qualified her for free care under the NHS.
He has now received an apology from Fife Council social work service for any distress caused and for the length of time it had taken to reach a conclusion.
Mrs Wells, a former hospital auxiliary from Glenrothes who survived the London Blitz, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in March 2012.
After she was moved from hospital into a nursing home, Mr Menzies said the family should, by law, have been given a care plan, which he believes should have laid out treatment and costs.
However, he said this did not happen and as his mother’s condition in the care home deteriorated, he maintains they were not kept adequately informed.
After she died in May 2012, he was shocked to receive a £4,000 bill for her care from Fife Council later reduced to £2,000 but he said the bill was still not itemised and he spent years questioning why it should have to be paid.
While it turned out Mrs Wells should have paid for care because her assets were above the £23,000 threshold, Mr Menzies said it was only thanks to the support of Glenrothes and Central Fife Labour MP Lindsay Roy that the charges were dropped.
Mr Menzies contacted The Courier after reading the recent comments of Cowdenbeath MSP Alex Rowley.
Former Fife Council leader Mr Rowley said he was “appalled” to learn 19 vulnerable patients were moved out of hospital and into care homes over the festive period.
Mr Menzies replied: “I’m running out of words to describe how it feels to read about a politician telling a newspaper of his concerns over something and what promises he’s making to get things fixed.”
However, Mr Rowley rejected claims made publicly by Mr Menzies that while council leader, he declined to help with his mother’s case.
Mr Rowley said: “I would confirm that when a councillor I was contacted by Mr Menzies, who was complaining about an outstanding charge being made by Fife Council against his late mother’s estate. I would confirm that I took his case direct to the-then executive director of social work and passed all correspondence that came back and forward to me to Mr Menzies and made direct representation on his behalf.
“I also received copies of correspondence from the legal services which was also passed to Mr Menzies.
“At no point did I decline to help Mr Menzies and at no point did I tell him he had to pay any money.”
Picture by George McLuskie