When mental capacity assessments must delve beneath what people say to what they do | Community Care

I disagree as each have their own important skills which should be used in tandem, for one is using the ‘social model’ while the other is using the ‘medical model’, when really it should be a mixture of both.

For example, my wife was in hospital last year and the consultant formed the opinion, that she needed to be on 24/7 oxygen when she was discharged and he assumed, wrongly, that my wife would mention this to me.

But she has a memory problem sometimes, while showing confidence and strength in her manner.

What she did mention to me was that the Consultant was considering 24/7 oxygen at home and thought he would discuss this with me.

A week went by and I had no such discussion, so I enquired what was happening after the week had gone by when I made my daily visit, to be informed that the process had been concluded.

But, to me no home assessment had been done, so they did not know we had 24/7 care for our daughter, who lives at home with us, I had not informed my house insurers or anyone else.

While I was visiting my wife the oxygen supplier tried to deliver the oxygen, which was, rightly refused by our daughters carers.

I then found out that the Home assessment had not been done, so this was done on my next day visit and I agreed to the oxygen delivery.

I would mention that my wife had mentioned for them to discuss this with me, which they saw fit to ignore.

I was given no consideration and left completely in the dark.

I was my not only my wife’s husband, but also her carer and therefore was the person who took responsibility for the management of the oxygen as my wife relied on me for everything, her choice.

But choice is also something that is ignored by hospitals as well as carers and with COVID-19 carers are going to be more evident than they were previously in their number and their responsibilities.

Hospitals need to consider ‘person-centred ‘care instead of ‘institutional’ care.

The care team is not just hospital personal, but everyone within the caring of a person, including the person themselves, which who at times is seen as an object and an inconvenience to some hospital staff.

I am not blaming the staff, but the system, as the staff do their best within the constraints of the system.

 

Source: When mental capacity assessments must delve beneath what people say to what they do | Community Care