'How can they allow me to live like this?'
A Derry woman suffering from primary progressive Multiple Sclerosis has been living without an accessible toilet, shower and access ramps to her home for almost four years, the 'Journal' can reveal.
Pat Gormley, who uses a wheelchair, says her health has "deteriorated further" as a result of the situation which, she claims, has been held up at various stages by both the Housing Executive and the Western Health Trust.
Speaking to the 'Journal' this week, she said: "If there is a fire in my house this evening, I cannot get out. I would burn alive."
She added: "My plans were submitted, once again, at the beginning of February. So, taking away the delays of previous years, this time alone I have been waiting nine months and, still, nothing has been done. I really believed that things would move quicker this time because my plans had been submitted on previous occasions - but it's just as bad. I feel like screaming. They are not living in my skin so they don't understand. How can they leave me living like this?
"If someone living without a toilet isn't a priority case, then God help those worse off than me. I just want some peace and a good standard of life - is that too much to ask?"
Pat's situation initially came to a head almost four years ago.
"At the start of 2006, I had to move downstairs in my home full-time because I couldn't manage the stairs. Making use of the Disabled Facilities Grant, I submitted plans to the Housing Exexcutive to have my home converted to include a downstairs bathroom and permanent accessible ramps into my home.
"On two occasions since 2006, the Housing Executive found bungalows in the city for me to move into. On both occasions I felt I had no other choice but to try them as I couldn't live without a toilet any longer."
However, both houses still failed to meet Pat's needs and, at the start of this year, she made the difficult decision to move back into her own home - despite the lack of facilities.
In response to an inquiry from the 'Journal', a Housing Executive spokesperson confirmed that it had issued a preliminary offer of grant aid (schedule of works) in April 2009." However, it says it cannot move forward on these plans without the scheme being agreed with Occupational Therapy (OT).
The Western Trust was also contacted by the 'Journal' and asked to explain why the OT report was taking almost six months to compile. It responded: "Respecting confidentiality, the Trust will not be discussing the specific circumstances of an individual person." However, it did add: "The Western Trust forwards all assessment information in a timely fashion to the NIHE."
As regards the provision of access ramps to her home, the Trust said: "In the case where an individual is awaiting the installation of permanent ramps, as accessed through Northern Ireland Housing Executive Disabled Facilities Grant, temporary ramps are put in place as an interim measure."
Just days after the 'Journal' query, temporary ramps were put in place at Pat Gormley's home.
Terry McNamee, the local Development Officer for the MS Society, has branded Ms. Gormley's situation as "outrageous."
"It seems ludicrous to me that Pat has waited nine months for ramps, temporary or permanent, and on no occasion in the past nine months was a ramp ever forthcoming. But, now the 'Journal' have got involved, temporary ramps have suddenly appeared.
"To be honest they are still not perfect because Pat needs someone to help her down the ramps and, in the event of a fire, she will still be trapped. But at least there has been some movement. In the saying that, however, the whole situation is scandalous."
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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