A wheelchair-bound man has been trapped in a Scots hospital for three months as a direct result of savage cuts to housing associations’ aids and adaptations budgets.
The plight of Brian Gibson – who is unable to walk due to a medical condition – is now being highlighted by local constituency MSP Finlay Carson after the man was left with nowhere to live.
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP plans to raise the “delayed discharge” issue at Holyrood along with another where a woman is trapped in her house because there is no funding to construct a ramp!
Mr Carson said: “I fear this is only the tip of the iceberg and there will be many more patients left languishing in hospital beds not only in my constituency but in many other parts of the country.
“Bed Blocking is already putting a serious strain on the NHS and I think the situation is only going to get worse in the coming weeks and months.
“The decision by the SNP Government to slash funding to social landlords by 25 per cent is scandalous and effectively means older and disabled tenants who want to live independently will be unable to do so.”
Mr Gibson is currently in Galloway Community Hospital in Stranraer having been admitted on August 13th.
Although fit for discharge he has nowhere to go as his own house that he shares with his partner Tracey Forsyth is unsuitable as the bedrooms and bathroom are on the first floor, nor is his mother’s home.
Ideally Brian needs a bungalow but there is a shortage of them available in Newton Stewart, Minnigaff or Garlieston.
But even if one does become available Wheatley Housing Association has said that it doesn’t have the money to carry out any adaptations required.
Wheatley had applied for £3 million but only received £669,000 from the Nationalist Government compared to £945,000 the previous year.
Mr Carson insists this “vicious circle” is likely to be repeated many times over unless Scottish Ministers have a change of heart.
He explained: “The housing associations simply don’t have the resources needed to pay for stairlifts, wheelchair ramps and wet rooms.
“They admit that they are going to have to make some tough calls as to where the funding goes as they have been seriously short-changed.
“Tragically it is going to have a devastating impact for elderly and disabled tenants who want to remain independent. But how can they if there home is not suitable far less safe?”
Highlighting the case of another constituent, the MSP revealed the woman now has to be physically lifted by family members to leave her home.
He said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have already been alerted that in the event of a fire the woman would not be able to vacate the property.
“This was done as a precautionary measure to safeguard her and forms part of Wheatley Homes South fire safety approach.
“It is absolutely shameful that this woman is put at serious risk because of a lack of funding towards a wheelchair ramp. It beggars belief that this uncaring, unsympathetic government is allowing this to happen because they are diverting money into its independence drive.”
