A RETIRED junior football club boss has launched a one-man protest against Fife Council and NHS Fife after he was billed for £4,000 to pay for his late 93-year-old mother’s nursing care following her death from cancer.
Former Lochore Welfare boss Brian Menzies (68) stood outside Fife House in Glenrothes with a hand-painted placard on Christmas Eve and is now considering lobbying a council committee in coming weeks.
Mr Menzies of Glencraig, near Lochgelly, believes his late mother Bett Wells should never have been charged £4,000 for residential care because, he says, she was receiving palliative treatment that should have qualified her for free care under the NHS.
Mrs Wells, a former hospital auxiliary from Glenrothes who survived the London Blitz, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in March.
During her four-week stay at the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, Mr Menzies said the family were told she was not fit enough to undergo an operation.
She was then transferred to Glenrothes Hospital, but Mr Menzies said that after a fall it only emerged later that she had broken a bone in her leg she was moved into a private nursing home at Kinnesswood.
With her care package being moved from a medical care to a social care remit, Mr Menzies said the family should, by law, have been given a care plan, which he believes should have laid out treatment details and any costs.
But 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, 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 for months now he has been questioning why it should have to be paid.
Mr Menzies, who became the named owner of his mother’s home around six years ago, gave his daughter power of attorney over his late mother’s affairs but retains a close interest.
He said: “My main complaint is how can they transfer anyone out of hospital when they are dying from cancer into social care and then expect them to pay for it?
“She should have been in a hospice, but was sitting in a care home with dementia patients.
“My mother was treated diabolically. Surely if she was getting palliative care she shouldn’t have been charged for her care? It makes me mad to read about Fife Council claiming it is investing in care. If you ask me, it’s all spin.”
Louise Bell, the council’s head of service for older people, said: “Mr Menzies’ mother was admitted to a nursing home following her discharge from hospital. At this time we carried out a financial assessment to work out the contribution she was required to make to her care costs.
“We have been in contact with the named family member who is dealing with this matter, but will also make contact with Mr Menzies to discuss his concerns.”
George Cunningham, NHS Fife director of acute services, said: “All decisions are based on a multi-factorial assessment of individual patients. There is a patient discharge policy/procedure jointly developed between NHS Fife and Fife Council which guides staff.
“Discussions with family are important, but key to decisions are the wishes of the individual, if they are able to be involved in the decisions.”
malexander@thecourier.co.uk