"My brother's situation"

My brother is disabled, and has lived in his own home with support for all of his adult life. He is now 48 years old. He has recently had health issues which led to a long stay in hospital. When he recovered I took time off work to provide care for him. He has recently been in hospital for a further medical procedure and is now ready to return home. I am back at work, and I am not able to look after him full time. The local authority has said that in their opinion he must now be cared for in a residential nursing home. If I want him to return home, then I must provide the bulk of the care. So, I face the choice of giving up my career, or agreeing to nursing home care that my brother does not want.

The ‘homely setting’ that they have recommended is an 80-bed residential home, run by a company that made £200, 000 profit in the last financial year. So not only would my brother have to give up his liberty and right to remain in his own home, his fees would be making profits for a private company. The weekly cost of this placement would be £785 per week. This sum would only provide 25 hours of care per week if he remained in his own home (he requires two carers for personal care) He needs more than 25 hours a week to be an active and engaged member of his community. This sum would provide only the most basic life and limb care. The promise of choice, control, and independence is a dream for my brother given these financial constraints.

So, my questions are simple,

“What value do we place on the rights of disabled people to remain in their own homes, and how will we realise the vision of equality endorsed by our First Minister during a recent statement? ”

“Can a local authority deny human rights on the basis of cost? ”