An exploration of the UK unpaid carer's world

2g Overview 2015                        In the hope of connecting both ends                                 Home page here

                                                            hidden page  

Preamble

1. 2g is shorthand for the umbrella organisation which includes the county capital town's  Memory Assessment Service.
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3. The term caree is justified here.
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5. Abbreviations have been used to avoid searches and associated search engines finding hidden pages.  This is another way of maintaining security.
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7. The hidden pages are addressed to 2g staff.  However, in view of the lack of reply, various other readers are involved.  It was necessary to contact other branches of the carer world tree.  2g chose to communicate with a third party re passing info to carer.  
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9. The writer is his wife's carer and, as such, has been trying discuss with 2g ways in which her care within 2g can be optimised.  He started communication with 2g in early July.  On 11 August, a badly researched reply came.  It took until 21 August before any action started.
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11. Within the policy of excluding names, 2g etc staff are identified by initials.  All specific pages re 2g are hidden which gives double identity protection.  Some public pages are referred to and do not carry return links.
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13. Two 2g staff came to caree/carer residence to carry out a caree assessment and were SH - a CDN  (Communiity Dementia Nurse),  and JT - the new Team Manager – Memory Service
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15. SP is carer's case worker within AW which brings together adult social care and strategic housing. The present project interprets it as the unit of local government dealing with carer resources such as providing caree coverage whilst carers can use respite breaks.
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17. The separation of sets of text above allows for easier reading and referencing.

Summary of ensuing pages

1. The writer has been carer to his wife since 2000.  Her ailments have increased over the years and she has experienced gradual onset of memory impairment over the past eighteen months. 
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3. Carer's wife is termed caree within this and the ensuing pages.
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5. 2g carried out tests resulting in a letter being sent to caree on 16 March 2015.
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7. Carer had adopted a regimen of paid carers and others placing all mail for caree in the kitchen.  The letter (item 5) was never given to caree by carer for fear of bewilderment and distress.
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9. Carer contacted 2g in the context of the Herefordshire Triangle of Care for Dementia  which describes how meaningful involvement and inclusion of carers can lead to better care for people with dementia.  2g ignored carer's repeated requests to be involved in his wife's care. 
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11. Worse than that, 2g chose only*  to communicate via a third party.  It included comment that if carer were involved in his wife's care, it would be too distressing for her.  * save SH phoning re 15.
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13. Her phoning was the result of carer asking AW 's SP to intervene on his behalf.
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15. A meeting eventually took place on 17 Aug involving caree, carer and two 2g staff.  The staff had not been told of any issues prior to the meeting.   The two 2g staff were SH - a CDN and JT - the new Team Manager – Memory Service
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17. Carer had gone to great lengths to ensure that the two staff did not raise negative issues in front of caree. He will not accept that it was policy not to tell the staff.  They had, unwittingly, driven their way to the lion's den.
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19. An important issue is the lack of a proper response in early July and subsequently, in mid July.    
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21. Another important issue is the lack of thought and, more precisely, lack of proper investigation on the part of the Service Experience Department. (SED)  (The general reader would be more comfortable with the title Complaints Dept.  They may, however unlikely to receive it, pick up the Complaints word in the email address given that not everyone has that facility.)
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23. SED claimed carer was receiving support from JT.  Carer said he had never heard of her.  When JT came to caree/carer residence (see 13), she knew nothing of this unwarranted battle with 2g.
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25. Furthermore, this department sent an unsigned email letter including contact me etc wording.  Carer's response was to produce a webpage reply headed "Dear me".
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27. The "Dear me"webpage begins with a link to a string of key issues and ends with a link to a "2g must improve" page.
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29. The "2g must improve" page also begins with a string of topics.  They include a brief look at the 2g website, the identification of the likelihood of unpaid carers feeling exasperation and suffering from invisibility, and the page states that new aspects of the problems will ensue.
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31. HOWEVER, now that contact has been established - see 15 - after blunt talk re 2g on carer's part, things are looking more optimistic.  SH and JT did a good assessment. It is hoped that  JT and carer will be in face-to-face discussion and carer's elder daughter (or her husband) will be in attendance. 
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33. Team Manager – Memory Service - JT -  sent email 21 Aug which explained that her line managers are both currently on leave.  JT will try and arrange a meeting as soon she can when they have returned from annual leave and will send carer via email some dates to see if they are convenient for him and daughter if  as he wishes that she accompanies him.  [She has LPA re caree and carer for £ and health.}
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35. The meeting - notes here.