The end is in sight...!

Today I met with the Medical Director of Cardiff LHB who has assured me that they will take over the whole of Pete's care package as it stands at the moment.

It looks as if we have the result we have been fighting for over the last 18 months ie to keep the carers who have looked after Pete over the last 7 years.

The details have to be finalised so we're not celebrating yet but I'm cautiously optimistic!

None of this would have happened without all your support, hard work and persistent letter-writing/e-mailing/petitioning etc

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!

Life Post-Assessment

The dreaded assessment is done but Cardiff Social Services wouldn't budge on the issue of a mediator so I took my own!
Dr Dave Bailey attended along with Pete and myself and the assessors from Cardiff LHB and Cardiff Social Services.
It was pretty straightforward as Pete's needs are obviously immense and so he is almost certain to qualify for Continuing Health Care - but that isn't the issue!
The issue is that what "normally" happens is that the District Nursing service take over once someone like Pete is deemed to have primarily Health needs. This means losing all the carers who have looked after Pete for the last 6 years and the independence that we currently have to organize that care.
Thankfully Dr Bailey was there to point out that what Pete needs is carers who know him well enough to instinctively know what he wants despite his almost total inability to communicate and that changing his carers would be a deterioration in his care package.
We will wait and see if the message gets through and if Edwina Hart and Graham Williams from the Welsh Assembly Government continue to monitor the situation as closely as they have been.

As far as the Rees family are concerned, life goes on - Catrin is enjoying school holidays and Pete has another chest infection but we're hoping he will perk up now he's on antibiotics.

Date for Assessment - July 14th 2008

Cardiff Local Health Board contacted me today to tell me that Pete's assessment will take place at 1pm on Monday 14th July.
There will be a representative from both Social Services and Health and they will be undertaking a joint assessment of Pete's needs.
We have not resolved the issue of a mediator but I have had a personal letter from Edwina Hart which has meant that I am willing to go ahead despite this.
The Director of Social Services in the Welsh Assembly Government, Graham Williams, has met with both Health and Social Services and they have written their first joint letter to us regarding the assessment.
Edwina Hart has expressed her dissatisfaction with the way our situation has developed and has assured us that her "officials will remain in close contact with the local authority and the LHB to establish that progress is being made by them".
As his condition continues to deteriorate I hope that the intervention of the Minister for Health and Social Services will produce the result that Pete deserves - to die at home with dignity.

Sunday Express

The Sunday Express are covering our story this weekend - don't forget to buy a copy!

You can have my money if Daddy can die at home

South Wales Echo article

Final Demand

I received the attached letter at 4.20pm today....the day before the elections....too late to get any publicity going....too late to contact my solicitor.....HELP!!!!

Click on the letter to read

Election Day May 1st

Local elections for those of you who live in Cardiff are held this Thursday.

I wouldn't dream of trying to influence anyone but you might want to think about the following when you're making that decision as to whether to bother voting and for whom....

Cardiff Council has a small Lib Dem majority and therefore control the Executive.
Cardiff Council has not been behaved in a professional, ethical or humane way in their dealings with this vulnerable family.
Julie Morgan LABOUR MP and Robert Jones from her office have been a tremendous support to us and have worked incredibly hard to try and negotiate an agreement between ourselves and Cardiff Council regarding Pete's care.

Please use your vote to make a difference to us and other families in a similar situation.