Further to disgusting 'Carers' Centre

Due to me having been sent a warning letter from Bury Carers Centre before Christmas, of how they choose to interpret my stress/anxiety as being abusive; when they are extremely rude on the phone in refusing to support me. I sent an email to Gaddam Manchester, didn’t get any response. So phoned them, someone said they’d get back to me, nothing. So I wrote the CEO a letter together with the said email, didn’t get any response - this was before Christmas.

So after not receiving any acknowledgement, nevermind response from the letter they surely should have received. I left a voice message late last week/over the weekend needing to speak with the CEO. She phoned me back today, very snappy in insisting I left a message today, I had to be straight and very firm with her in her very rude attitude. She asked questions, demanding yes/no answers; I told her they are not yes/no responses. I tried giving her a run-down of what I wrote, she kept butting in. Which was to the extent that Bury Carers Centre refuse to help or support me; her pathetic response was, maybe they can’t!!!

So she said she’d arrange to get whoever deals with Carers Services to investigate. I asked if they’d want to speak to me; as this person was contacted by Bury Carers Centre to begin with. Who advised Bury Carers Centre Manager to send me the letter; basically highlighting what they deem as abuse from me towards their staff on the phone; and that if it continue that I’d be struck off their list, and won’t be able to receive any support ever again - which they don’t support me with anything, anyhow.

This CEO kept dribbling on; where I had to interject in stating that we both are equals; she should treat me that way, and that if she doesn’t want to helpful she shouldn’t be in that job and then I put the phone down.

It’s an absolute disgrace this ‘CEO’ thinks she can lord it over me by stating they have high standards; that she deems has to be complied with as set out in whatever rules of service they have - when they don’t offer any decent service nevermind respect. No wonder I never got any response to the letter, it must have been binned - to protect their precious CEO.

Respect works both ways; (not according to this little Hitler) if she can’t/won’t respect me - she gets as good as she gives.

If she does phone back and carries on in the same vein, I will have no option but to state that all that is claimed on their website is false advertising, as they have a responsibility to all Carers; they are a service NOT a dictatorship.

It’s time for you to record some of these calls.
Also make a subject access request asking for copies of everything they hold on file about you.
It won’t make happy reading I suspect, but if that is the case, then get your own back, and get her sacked.

This is not social services; this is the CEO of a Carers Service. How do I get this ****** sacked? As for Subject Access? I already know by how they treat me what their attitude is towards me; I don’t need written records.

First, make your subject access request, asking for copies of everything they hold in their records about you. (See the information commisisoners website). Ask for information to be provided on paper. They have 30 days to comply with the law.

The chances are very high that they have written things about you on file that isn’t true, or professional.
Put it all in a ring binder, arm yourself with a highlighter pen. Go through it with a fine tooth comb.

If there’s anything less than complimentary, get back to me, either on the forum or as a PM.
Then we can discuss where to go from there.

“Revenge is a dish best served cold”

I’m fairly easy going as a rule, but some people have found to their cost that I’m better as a friend than an enemy.

I am not an octopus, I am only one person and have a myriad of things I am already juggling; ie CHC for my Mum. I already know what cesspits they are.

When the CEO phones, if she dares after me being just as direct as she was. I’ll keep whatever discussion as brief as possible. As all I see, are those in wrong hide behind their own pathetic rules. Ie: she claims there are ‘rules/conditions’ service users ‘have’ to abide by, that are supposedly on their website. I did a search online: nothing.

Let sleeping dogs lie, is best. And anyway, gives me practice dealing with numbskulls, even when they’re a ‘CEO’ - as I’ve posted on a mental health forum I’m on and the responses are they’re ‘in awe’ and they’re glad I ‘stood up for myself’) My aim is in choosing how best to respond; by cutting them down to size​:wink: I ain’t a Sagittarius for nothin’:grin:

I have found that those that want to help, will be genuinely caring - those that won’t/can’t will argue until the cows come home in justifying their ignorance. It’s a case of empowering myself to not have to be dragged to their level.

Thanks anyway, your last sentence is brill…I’m needing to pace myself and choose which battles are worth my energies. Never fear, she won’t escape Karma.

When time is precious, and every second counts, I think carefully about how to get what I want with the minimum of effort.

Is it better to ignore a problem which won’t go away, or write an email that will take no more than two minutes, asking for specific action (i.e.a Freedom of Information Request)?

You can both battle each other until one gives up, or you can get the law on your side.
If she doesn’t comply, or has written lies, or rude remarks, you can then let the Information Office take action.
It’s then no longer you, a little fish, fighting a bigger fish.
Its a bigger fish fighting a shark!

I made a FOI request to my LA in 2012, and it ended up with a grovelling apology from the head of learning disability services about the conduct of his officers (and said if some hadn’t already retired they would have been dismissed).
Best of all, he told me that if the area office didn’t do their jobs properly, to go straight to him. This worked really well for years, until he left.

I also had grovelling apologies from the Complaints Officer about her staff. Sadly, she has now left, so I’m doing the rounds again.

Like I have pointed out - this issue is not the Local Authority or Social Services; it’s the local ‘Carers’ Centre CEO

The Freedom of Information Act covers ANY organisation. For more details see the Information Commissioner’s website.
I gave Social Services as an example of my own experience, to show what can happen.
Organisations must keep clear, factual, accurate records.

I have the same problem, the carers centre are very unhelpful, they have a big website, they offer a lot of services but refuse to help.
They keep telling me to contact social services but I have been through social services and complaints and the ombudsman received no help or unpaid carer support.

I attended the carers assessment for an assessment, explained my issues, very complex situations, I never heard anything back from the carers centre.

I was discharged straight away from Social services as I am uneligable for services.

But the carers centre keep telling me to contact social services and they will help NO THEY WON’T.

Social services are cutting services , transferring the burden onto unpaid carers, cleaning, shopping, disabled transport, wardens, night care, you name it they have cut it.
So I am contacting Social Services for services that just don’t exist any more, the council are having to cut so called Non essential services to save money.

The carers centre offer so much, they offer weekly telephone calls, help fill in forms, help through the system, they organise lunchs out, chances to meet other carers in the same boat.


But I HAVE BEEN REFUSED, I have it in writing, and the council who should be on my side agree with the refusal despite PAYING the carers centre to help all carers.

Surely that’s against equality laws?

The consequences as well that as the Carers centre have the contract, I am refused services by other organisations.

The Advocacy service REFUSED to help as the local carers centre has the contract, I am just refused as the carers centre has the funding and other services DON’T.

Without advocacy I cannot fight the decision that the carers centre refuse to help.

So 6 years ago I just gave up, I just couldn’t be bothered to fight anymore, just didn’t have the time and energy.

There is the Care Act but if the local Carers Centre and Advocacy REFUSE to help me I don’t see where the services will come from.
The Carers Centre has the contract for unpaid carer support, supplying breaks etc.
The Advocacy service has the contract from NYCC to it seems help disabled people NOT Unpaid Carers but surely I am entitled to advocacy under the Care Act? I am disabled, I suffer from Mental illness.

If I had lied and said I am not a carer, I would have received advocacy, but I need advocacy to fight the carers centres decision to refuse help.

It is completely wrong, unfair, unjust that some people gets loads and loads of help and I get NONE.

The Carers centre have they claim strong links with the local G.P. surgerys, I talked to my GP, carers centre nothing to do with him, that I should contact Social Services.

I just can’t be bothered to fight argue, explain, I don’t bother talking to anyone, and bottling up my feelings isn’t doing any good.

Ask my G.P. to refer me for counselling, I might as well ask for an all expences holiday to the Bahamas, I won’t get it.

The Carers centre should help me every step of the way, I have long term chronic health problems , my wife who I have been caring for years and years has multiple health problems.
I had multiple carees, I did explain to the carers centre at the carers assessment, but no help was ever provided.

The carers centre are supposed to stop carers getting to crisis point, I have been to A&E at crisis point, I contacted the crisis line time and time again.
I have contacted the local mental health services, my wife has severe and enduring mental health problems and they have told me I quote " the local carers centre should be helping me" They don’t and they won’t.

How many unpaid carers and I am unpaid I don’t get a penny carers allowance as I am long term ill, are at breaking point and what are the carers centres doing about it?

Telling people to go to social services for a needs assessment, that if you are lucky gives a very basic care package, doesn’t cover any essentials, emergency care, night care. its just left to unpaid carers to do the rest.

I would say I will contact the local paper about my plight, the local carers centre beat me to it, a long article about the issues that unpaid carers face and the carers centre is offering tailored support.

I applied and was REFUSED.

So very sorry you’ve had a nightmare with it all. Can you still go to the local paper, and tell them the reality of things? Of how your Carers Centre refuse to help and that you have been passed here there and everywhere; between them and Social Services adding to your already ill health? People need to know the full facts; surely that’s something your local paper would want to publicise? It’s in the public interest for them to know what’s really going on, from a Carer’s experiences.