I AM a full-time carer for my elderly mother and have just had some rails put into the bathroom to assist her movement. This has all been organised by the occupational therapist and the work carried out by Devon County Council, by an excellent and considerate workman.  

I was informed that at the end of this month this job is going and all such work will be done privately. In future this work will be done by anybody who is willing to carry it out. In future whoever needs the equipment will be given a 'prescription' to enable them to acquire the item from a mobility shop and they will also provide a list of contractors (and this will be very short as we believe they will not be paid enough money to make a profit) who can carry the fitting out. 

What is worrying is that these jobs will be carried out for vulnerable people, the elderly and infirm, by people who have no knowledge of fitting such items and may be fitted incorrectly, plus an unscrupulous contractor could arrange to do other 'unnecessary' work, charging an extortionate amount. Yet again our elderly are losing out —does anyone care?

We use carers, but they are pushed to the limit, get low wages plus do not get paid for any travelling time around here, and boy do they travel!

Luckily I am here to look out for my mother, again saving the government hundreds of pounds. As I am an OAP on a state pension I cannot even claim a Carers' Allowance!

This is all coming from a Government who promised the NHS was safe in their hands!

Diana Broughton

Lydford