"Urgent Concerns Regarding Care Review Process & Care Charging"

I am writing to raise serious concerns about the treatment of my Husband by the East Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership, particularly in relation to the proposal of care charging and the conduct of care reviews.

Following a life-altering accident, my husband is now paralysed from the shoulders down, with only minimal movement. His care needs are complex, constant, and essential to his daily survival and quality of life. However, his most recent annual Care Review Assessment has been deeply distressing and frankly, unacceptable.

The review was conducted by a Social Work Assistant who I feel demonstrated a lack of understanding of the nature, demands and time required in delivering complex, round-the-clock care. Despite this, the assessment was approved by a Social Worker and a Panel — none of whom have met or even spoken to my husband.

Incredibly, although all care outcomes were assessed as critical, his support under Option 1 is to be cut from 46 hours per week to just 24.75. This is not a minor adjustment — I believe it represents a catastrophic reduction in essential care and places my husband at substantial risk of adverse events.

I feel the right to be involved in any decision regarding his care has been eroded, and the value, and I believe that quality of his life are now a simple £ sign attributed to the most basic of human tasks. With the new reduced hours there is a 4-hour window each weekday, where there will be no care provision at all – no access to drinks, food, PRN medication, movement, the bathroom, no pain relief, amongst the many things that constitute the most basic of human tasks we all take for granted.

When we asked for the rationale behind this decision, we received no evidence or proper explanation — only a suggestion to submit a complaint if we were unhappy. We were informed that there is no formal appeal process. I find this lack of accountability, transparency, and basic respect  utterly unacceptable.

The emotional and psychological toll this is taking on our family cannot be overstated. It is devastating to see decisions being made that appear to prioritise financial targets over human dignity and safety.

What makes this situation even more concerning is that the Partnership reportedly has an underspend in its current budget — suggesting that the funding is available to continue supporting those most in need. Yet, they are still progressing with severe care cuts, while allowing project overruns and planning expenditure on nonessential, repetitive projects, claiming they must recover £1.5 million to address a funding shortfall — cuts that impact the most vulnerable members of our community. There are many suggested ways to raise the funds that have been ignored, making their actions not only misguided but callous, in my view.

According to the HSCP Report (August 2025), East Renfrewshire Council’s commitment to provide up to £1.5 million to defer non-residential charging for 2025/26 remains in place, should this be required. Whilst this is not needed at present, the situation will continue to be assessed throughout the year.

I urge you to urgently review not only the process and decision in my husband’s case, but also the wider policy direction being taken. I don't think that vulnerable people in our community should be the ones paying the price for financial shortfalls — particularly when the money to provide proper support is available.

In my view, this is not just a policy failure — it is a moral failing that must be addressed.