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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Belfast: 550 pensioners to lose out on home help | Belfast: 550 pensioners to lose out on home help |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Up to 550 elderly people across Belfast are to lose their home help services because of budget cuts. | Up to 550 elderly people across Belfast are to lose their home help services because of budget cuts. |
| The Belfast Trust has sent letters to the pensioners telling them that their laundry, shopping and cleaning help will stop as of 5 January 2015. | The Belfast Trust has sent letters to the pensioners telling them that their laundry, shopping and cleaning help will stop as of 5 January 2015. |
| The trust has apologised and has stressed that this is a temporary measure. | The trust has apologised and has stressed that this is a temporary measure. |
| A spokeswoman said this was about meeting budget restrictions and would last for just three to four months. | A spokeswoman said this was about meeting budget restrictions and would last for just three to four months. |
| Speaking on Radio Ulster's Nolan Show, Adeline Keenan, 89, said: "I got a letter on Saturday saying that from 5 January, my help would be cut. | Speaking on Radio Ulster's Nolan Show, Adeline Keenan, 89, said: "I got a letter on Saturday saying that from 5 January, my help would be cut. |
| "I get my shopping done on Tuesday and Thursday for half an hour and my laundry on Wednesday for half an hour," she said. | "I get my shopping done on Tuesday and Thursday for half an hour and my laundry on Wednesday for half an hour," she said. |
| "I will miss the shopping. It is heavy coming up and down the hill and I am 90 on my next birthday." | "I will miss the shopping. It is heavy coming up and down the hill and I am 90 on my next birthday." |
| Her granddaughter, Julie, said that the trust had suggested Mrs Keenan shop online or pay privately for help. | |
| "I was quite disgusted," she said. | "I was quite disgusted," she said. |
| "As a family, we will make provision for my granny. But what happens to all those people who don't have families? A lot of people don't have someone to fight for them." | "As a family, we will make provision for my granny. But what happens to all those people who don't have families? A lot of people don't have someone to fight for them." |
| Marie Heaney from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, apologised. | Marie Heaney from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, apologised. |
| She said the trust had to deliver within budget. The cuts were a "contingency measure", she said. | She said the trust had to deliver within budget. The cuts were a "contingency measure", she said. |
| Targeting home help shopping and laundry enabled the trust to continue to deliver clinical needs like washing and dressing, she said. | Targeting home help shopping and laundry enabled the trust to continue to deliver clinical needs like washing and dressing, she said. |
| "We had to prioritise those in greatest need," she said. | "We had to prioritise those in greatest need," she said. |
| "We had to examine what would be the least damaging and create the least impact." | "We had to examine what would be the least damaging and create the least impact." |
| 'Not taken lightly' | |
| Ms Heaney stressed this was a temporary arrangement. | Ms Heaney stressed this was a temporary arrangement. |
| In a statement, the trust said the decision was "not taken lightly". | In a statement, the trust said the decision was "not taken lightly". |
| It said social care assessors would be following up those affected and offering information and options to them. | It said social care assessors would be following up those affected and offering information and options to them. |
| The commissioner for older people, Claire Keatinge, said the cuts would have "a devastating impact". | |
| "Homecare packages are critical in enabling older people to maintain their independence and stay in their homes longer. | |
| "Cutting these services will mean that many will be left without the vital support they need to remain living in their own homes," she said. | |
| "It comes as a shock that the Belfast trust are planning to temporarily freeze some services to those who they had previously assessed as needing this assistance." |