Fraserburgh families devastated over disabled daycare cuts - saying changes will 'destroy' their loved ones
Around 40 people turned up to a public meeting on Thursday – that was only arranged a day before – to vent their frustrations and anger at planned cuts to Aberdeenshire daycare centres.
Fraserburgh Day Opportunities, which is located in the Robertson Road Resource Centre in the Buchan town, provides a service to adults with learning disabilities in Fraserburgh and the surrounding areas.
Activities include baking, cooking, singing, swimming at Fraserburgh Leisure Centre and trampolining, amongst others.
However, some of the services are now under threat as Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership looks to make cuts to services in order to save millions of pounds, with a decision to be made by the integrated joint board next month.
Attending the meeting – held at the leisure centre – was Nicola McNabb, whose 55-year-old sister Isobel Ann has been attending the Robertson Road hub for 34 years, and is having her days cut from five to three.
'Robertson Road is all she knows, it's her work,' she told The Press and Journal.
Her sister, who has Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome and retinitis Pigmentosa – meaning she is completely blind – as well as diabetes and kidney failure, has been going there for longer than all of the staff at Fraserburgh Day Opportunities
Nicola said: 'The slightest thing can disrupt my sister's whole day. She thinks it's all her fault, she doesn't understand she's not to blame.'
The review of day care services could mean the number of spaces available will be reduced, with those with a 'profound and multiple learning disability' being prioritised over others and there being a focus on 'care in the community'.
The cost of day services will also increase, going from £48 to £148 per day.
Nicola thinks the disabled community are being scapegoated by Aberdeenshire Council.
'They're an easy target,' she said.
At the beginning of the process, it was confirmed that Isobel Ann did not have a space, but this changed after a letter from her doctor confirmed she had 'profound disabilities' and one from her kidney specialist.
Regarding the latter, Nicola told The P&J: 'It said on it that she needs this centre to get out and about because it will physically kill her if she doesn't.
'She's in kidney failure as it is, she needs to be active, she needs to be stimulated and she won't get that at home.'
Isobel Ann used to get four days of social time, where a carer picked her up at 3pm daily for two hours. They would go shopping, which would give her 'a purpose', however, that has now stopped.
'She's back to crying and thinking that she's doing something wrong and that the carers don't want to take her anymore,' Nicola said.
Isobel Ann's sibling said that Fraserburgh Day Opportunities is 'all she knows' and the things they do are 'honestly unbelievable', with her being aghast at the proposals.
Denise Macdonald's 28-year-old sister-in-law Ellie, who has Down's syndrome and a leaking heart valve, also attends the Robertson Road centre.
Her mum passed away a couple of years ago, and Denise's brother John is now her legal guardian.
Denise gave up her two jobs at Aberdeenshire Council to care of Ellie to let John work full-time.
Ellie attends the centre five days a week and has been there for a 'lot of years'.
For Ellie it's a job Monday to Friday and a purpose for her every morning,' her sister-in-law told The P&J.
Denise said they will never put her into care as 'she's part of the family'. She admitted that if she did not get to continue going to Fraserburgh Day Opportunities, 'it would destroy her'.
Ultimately, Ellie's carer believes the cuts are nothing but a 'cop out'.
Alison Duthie, whose 19-year-old son Kristopher attends Robertson Road four days a week told The P&J that she is 'absolutely devastated with the cuts'.
Kristopher, who has a severe living disability, is non-verbal, on a feeding tube and has a 'bad chest', has only been attending since August last year. He has 'absolutely loved it' according to his mum.
Although his ongoing place at the centre has been confirmed, Alison is worried what the future will hold.
'If Kristopher didn't get Robertson Road, I am sure his mental health would definitely go down. I would be the same.
'That five hours a day is my time to do my cleaning or go out, or socialising. If I didn't have that time, I don't know how it would be.
'When Kristopher's there, that's my time.'
Alison does not think the decision-makers know what it is like to look after a disabled person.
'It's 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even when you're sleeping. I don't even get a night's sleep,' she said.
And despite her son getting a place, she thinks it is 'discrimination' that some will not.
'It's sheer discrimination what they're doing, because they're picking at their disability.
'They're all disabled, that's why they're there and why they can't work.'
North Aberdeenshire partnership manager for Aberdeen Health and Social Care Partnership, Jeff Shaw said: 'I understand and can empathise with the concerns of families, however, I can reassure them that people with an assessed need will continue to receive support.
'Those with less profound needs may no longer meet the criteria to attend our day services and will be supported to access other services.
'No one will find their attendance at one of our day services stopped overnight. We will work with service users and families to ensure they get the right support to meet their needs.
'I understand that some people may be concerned about the increase in our fees. I can reassure everyone that we will work to ensure that there is no detriment to service users, due to the cost increase, at this time.'
Another meeting will be held at Fraserburgh Leisure Centre on May 1 between 10am until 12pm, with a capacity of 200 being able to be accommodated for.
Read more: All the Aberdeenshire health charges that could rocket amid savings plan
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