Council tenants could be evicted... to ease hospital crisis
ABLE-BODIED council tenants could be asked to leave their homes in Stoke-on-Trent to make way for people with a disability who are blocking hospital beds.
An audit of the city’s near-20,000 housing stock has been called for by senior councillors, who want to know how many properties are fitted with aids and adaptations when able-bodied families live in them.
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It is part of a fresh push to free up scarce beds at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire for new patients facing marathon delays in its emergency department.
At times up to 100 beds a day have been occupied by recovered patients who cannot be discharged, partly because there are no adapted properties available for them.
Now Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s health scrutiny committee has asked the authority’s housing committee to conduct the audit.
It was prompted by scrutiny group member Dave Sutton who said there were several cases of able-bodied tenants living in properties with a full range of aids and adaptations they did not need.
The Birches Head councillor said: “This seems totally unfair when someone who is really disabled cannot get a suitable property and may be stuck in hospital because of that.
“I know of cases like this in Abbey Hulton and Tunstall and it sometimes goes on for four years.
“In the Abbey one able-bodied tenant had been living in a house where there is a full-sized lift in the living room to take a wheelchair up to the bedroom.
“Whatever we do we need the data first but if able-bodied tenants are offered a nice property somewhere close-by, I am sure they wouldn’t kick up too much fuss about being asked to leave.
“It can cost £10,000 to adapt a property so if you did this just five times you would make a fair saving, as well as helping to ease the problems at the hospital.”
The audit call comes as the hospital puts back its application for foundation trust (FT) status until it ends the delays in its accident unit and slashes delayed discharges.
Hospital director Andrea Green said: “We now intend to go to the next stage of our FT application in June.
“But only if we have gained public confidence by then by showing we have hit national targets to treat or admit patients within four hours of their arrival at A&E for the previous three months.
“We face big challenges in emergency care but are learning lessons and making sure we do not make old mistakes.”
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by Warren, Stoke on Trent
Wednesday, January 14 2009, 9:05AM
“Mark. spot on dude, the headlines a disgrace, This is a country wide problem, not just Stoke on Trent. I'm no fan of some of the things the council do, but this time you can not attack them in the least. Yes, giveing adapted homes to abel bodyied resadents did not make any sence, but it now must be understood, these homes are now needed for there rightfull purpuss, to home the disabeled. The DDA is mostey aimed at employment but would be a good frame work to work to if other acts dont give any help in this case.”
by Mark, Porthill
Tuesday, January 13 2009, 9:18PM
“I have worked in Social Housing for 29 years and have depaired at the number of times a suitably adapted property has become available, only to find that there have been no suitably assessed 'takers' who could maximise the adaptations a vacant property provided. What is required is a unified waiting list of adapted properties and an early assessment of the property to match the clients needs. What we have instead though is a regime which pressurises housing providers to let properties at the earliest opportunity in order to maximise income. An offer of suitable accomodation within a sheltered housing development to assist with potential bedblocking was made to the appropriate authorities six weeks ago but has, so far, gone unacknowledged. A more coherent, joined up approach is needed, involving housing providers, Social Services and the PCTs.This is a national problem and therefore it is inappropriate to 'Council bash' on this particular occasion.Your headline of 'Council tenants could be evicted'...is mere sensationalism and once again is unhelpful to those who are trying to find positive solutions to a very real problem.”
by anon, stoke-on-trent
Tuesday, January 13 2009, 5:23PM
“It is upsetting to think that you are wnted out of your home, to suit the Council, it's not the tenants fault. The Council can only ask, if they try to evict the tenants should make them go to the bailifs. Thats what they said to me when I rented a house to a family that expanded, & where very over crowded. There was a bungalow in Allendale Walk that was empty for years, never used, why don't they have a walk around & find some, even try the private estates for bungalows that are empty, for rent.”
by Norma, Blurton
Tuesday, January 13 2009, 3:43PM
“The council have come up with a solution to help the bed shortage at the hospital (FINE).
But what were the housing department staff who work for the council thinking of when they allocated property's that had been converted for disabled or elderly people in some cases to able bodied tenants surely they are trying to solve a problem that has been of there own making.It will be very upsetting for some of the people who have put down roots got used to the area and neighbours they have made to be turfed out and moved on.I do sympathise with the people who are in hospital for no other reason than there home has not been adapted for there needs but also with the people that now have the worry of what is being technically evicted,.the more I read and hear about the council employee's and the bad decisions they make which others end up suffering for makes me so mad. when you consider all the workers yesterday that had done nothing wrong yet still lost there jobs and no matter how many times the council staff get it wrong they never seem to lose there jobs which are always good rates of pay and good pensions.”
by Dawn, North Staffordshire
Tuesday, January 13 2009, 3:09PM
“I agree with Mick Salih of Norton........ someone needs to get a grip on reality. In addition all of the people who are blocking hospital beds who do not have Nursing needs surely should be either heading home or to a care facility to recouperate before going back home. Lets admit it they must have come from somewhere BEFORE going into hospital.”
by Mick Salih, Norton
Tuesday, January 13 2009, 2:25PM
“The answer is not to move able bodied people from these properties (its no use closing the gate when the horse as bolted) it is the responsibility of the allocations department to do their job properly and but the most suitable residents in the right property and the right location this is NOT what is happening at the moment most of the complaints I receive as a councillor are allocation problems and I have raised this issue at different levels in the authority the sooner allocations are returned to a local level the better it will be for every one.Choice based lettings is failing and should be revised A.S A.P.
Cllr Mick Salih”
by Hells bells, Stoke
Tuesday, January 13 2009, 2:18PM
“It¿s always the same , people attach extreme and unrelated view points to a reasonable request .
In this case the council are attempting to help the hospital by unblocking hospital beds , but then someone attempts to hijack and poo poo this reasonable attempt to help people with some idiotic rhetoric tripe about blue badge car parking and education in the hospital system .
Give me strength
Oh by the way . A word of encouragement to the Council , it aint easy I know but keep up the good work”
by Warren, Stoke on Trent
Tuesday, January 13 2009, 11:51AM
“I would think that at least one or two persons within council employment would have a working knollage of the DDA of 1995 Chris, at least I would hope so. In fact , I have a copy of the act hear, if they would like to borrow it.”
by oddthomas, stoke
Tuesday, January 13 2009, 11:44AM
“ah well it sorta make sence, well it sorta makes council sence what ever that is.”
by Chris, Newstead
Tuesday, January 13 2009, 11:31AM
“I would be interested on hearing how the council will decipher if a person is disabled or not.
Not every disabled person is wheelchair bound unfortunately ignorance within people stereotype disability.
Dave Sutton could you please clarify this?
If the councils are so concerned about disabilities why are they thinking of removing free parking for blue badge holders on city car parks?
And why did myself and other have to fight for better education in the hospital system?”