How can I confirm the Care-Coordinator is qualified?

I’ve been removed as a Carer for my mam. The funny thing is – I was lead to believe I would not be removed. I got suspicious once my Carers Allowance was stopped last week. So I rang the DWP on Monday; the agent waffled and assured me they will look into it; they could not tell me who removed me from caring for Data protection reasons. I rang again on Friday – and I got the same “Oh well – we will look into it more” treatment.

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Hi Victor,

Where is the Care coordinator based? Does she work for the agency or Social Services? You don’t need to be a qualified social worker to work in a managerial role in an agency and lots of the staff employed by social care are untrained too. (We have had problems ourselves, in the past with untrained/unknowledgeable and virtually illiterate social care “staff.”)

The social worker register can be checked here Check the Register and find a registered health and care professional | I’m guessing this is where you looked.

I think care-coordinators etc train in NVQs and some might have degrees.

However, back to the problem. Do you want to continue to support your mother or do you want additional care in place to cover all the things you did for her?

Unless the care-co-ordinator is with your mum 24/7, I don’t know how she can know how much care you give your Mum. Therefore I would write down everything you do in a typical week for her and either challenge the decision or contact social services, explain the situation - give them the list and let them sort it out. I might be mistaken, but I think your Mum’s contribution to her care will remain the same, but social care will have to pay for the additional care - something they wont be happy with.

If you are going to challenge the decision re carers allowance and the care co-ordinator works for the agency; then I would state there is a conflict of interest - as the only ones gaining from all of this are the agency - if your Mum’s care hours are increased.

Melly1

Another good guide is the definition used by employment agencies seeking candidates to fulfill the role of a " Care Co-ordinator " :

What does a care coordinator do? | Randstad UK

https://www.academicinvest.com/arts-careers/social-work-careers/how-to-become-a-community-care-coordinator

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I’ve been in this state of stress since last year. I’m really tired of fighting for my mum. And she’s not helping - since her Dementia has got her to tell me to “f*** off” on Whatsapp this morning. It’s kinda cute and funny - but really I’m just sugarcoating a t*rd situation.

What I want is for her medication to be sorted. The amount of care is a “chocolate fire guard.” The Care-Coordinator just does not come across as degree-level. Her lack of professionalism in not informing me of the change shows lack of skill. She’s just winging it - and trusting that the more qualified Care Manager will back her up.

Well - whatever the case - I’m tired. I feel conflicted. If I still perform the duties I usually do - then they’ll think their decision was correct. But that would mean I’m not being compensated for financially for the very emotionally hard work. If I back off completely - then mum will not be cared for as she really needs.

To me - the hope is getting the medication sorted, but the incompetency that’s on display is pervasive - no one takes me seriously in that team.

Victor,
contact the Care Manager direct, express your concerns re your Mum, be careful (at this stage) what you say about the Care coordinator.

Who reviews her meds?

Melly1

I have no relationship with the Care Manager. I produced a Lasting Power of Attorney for my mam’s Health & Welfare at one of the meetings. He went off it - saying the document is unsafe because my mam was not proven to have been fully informed of the gravity of what she signed up to. It’s as if he had never seen an LPA before. Looking back at the notes mum made in December 2018 - on the Age UK document explaining the LPA - she looks fully informed to me. If anything - mum looks like she’s studied it more than me. The signing process was done with all the relevant people in the house; my mam was fully in agreement.

But this highly “Ethical” Care Manager - says he can’t let it pass; his ethics cannot allow this document to be accepted. A lawyer should have been consulted in it’s making. This clearly demonstrates his lack of training - since the LPA system is done online now and ever so easily, cheaply and avoids the need for Lawyers.

I do not trust the Care Manager.

Sorry Victor, I mistook your comment,

She’s just winging it - and trusting that the more qualified Care Manager will back her up.

to mean this person would be better placed to assess the situation.

Melly1

Why are am I at an adversarial position to them? I would have thought I’m the most informed person when it comes to my mam’s character and behavior? I’ve lived with her for the last 37 years; surely I know when she’s not being herself. In a court of Law - I’d trump any character assessment of mum - more than the Care Coordinator.

Hi Victor,

The problem with typing messages is that misunderstandings can occur - and we seem to misunderstanding each other.

It was my understanding that you have noticed a decline in your mother’s mental health and believe that she needs her meds increasing; the care co-ordinator however, lacks the knowledge and skills to observe what you have noticed.

I took your statement to mean the Care manager is more qualified and skilled.

In an ideal world, the professionals would listen to us carers, and indeed some do. However, the professionals you and your Mum are stuck with don’t seem to be listening. Therefore, it helps to have another professional who is prepared to listen to your observations, has the skills to assess accurately and is in a position to act on your observations.

Before, reading more about the care manager, I had thought they might have been the person to listen to you and help your Mum to get the help she needs – increase in meds and support. However, I now realise this wont be the case.

If none of the suggestions, advice or links from other members and myself help; perhaps you will find a way forward on the Mind website https://www.mind.org.uk/

KR,
Melly1

Sorry - it’s a manky mess. So I will get my posts wrong in explaining.

The bottom line is - I don’t think the Psychosis team in question are really professional enough. They’ve not demonstrated skillful management of my mam. The Care Manger’s lack of familiarity with the streamlined process of getting an LPA online - by his alarmist comment that a lawyer should have been involved in the drafting of the LPA - is a bone of contention for me. The Care Coordinator giving of the number for the Samaritans - for my mam to chat to - is just a joke. These are just the smoke in the fire and fury of the issue. The fundamental problem is lack of diagnosis and accurate prescribing of medication.

I think the question that needs to be answered is… Do you spend 35 hours a week caring for your mam?

The post started with the complaint that your carers allowance had stopped. As a typical carer I spend over 100 hours a week with my Mum, the missing 68 is when she is sleeping sound and I get some peace and quiet.

If you were never to be seen, then the care co-ordinator had every right to complain.

Whatever the amount of time I spent and how it’s worked out, and whatever quality or decision made - I AM ENTITLED TO BEING INFORMED WHAT THE NEW ARRANGEMENT WAS. NO COMMUNICATION WAS MADE: I WAS IN THE DARK.

HENCE - SINCE THE CARE COORDINATOR DOES NOT BOTHER INFORMING ME - I WILL NOT INFORM HER ANYTHING WHAT MY FAMILY DECIDES!

My FAMILY - MY MAM! NOT THE CARE COORDINATORS! SHE IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL.

I assume from the shouting, the answer to my question is no. You weren’t spending 35 hours a week but still claiming carers allowance.

We’re not so different, when my Mum fell, I received a phone call from social services, not asking me, telling me Mum was being taken to a care home I didn’t want her to be taken too. MY FAMILY!!!

The difference is, I wasn’t illegally claiming carers allowance at the time. I wash my hands of you and this post.

You are the reason real carers get a bad name.

Let’s get this very clear.

You CAN receive Carers Allowance quite lawfully even if you are not actually in the same building as your caree for 35 hours a week.

The Carers UK helpline helped me, many years ago, by giving me a case dealt with at a very high level.
The 35 hours includes the time when you are doing things for your caree, and even being “on call” counts.

At the time, my son was in a residential college 60 miles away, and he generally came home every 2 weeks.
The time I spent preparing for his visit, buying food, cleaning his room, driving to get him, all counted.
As the CA week runs from Sunday to Saturday, the Friday and Saturday of his visit came into one week, and the Sunday and Monday (we had to set off before 7am to get him back in time for 9am), my drive home, tidying his room, doing his laundry etc. all added up to over 35 hours n the second CA week.

If my son came home every fortnight, that meant I was entitled to CA continually, even although he was at a boarding college.
So many people don’t know the rules and miss out on thousands of pounds worth of benefits as a result, which is a tragedy.

It’s a moot issue now. There has been a massive mix-up mainly due to the Care Coordinator’s lack of qualification. She should be sacked!

She informed the Carer’s Allowance people that I no longer qualify for the allowance seeing I am no longer the Primary Carer. Two Dale Carers were coming in now. So the DWP acted on her genius call.

It turns out (I just found out this week) That as a result of the CC genius idea - the Carers Allowance people suspended my claim pending an investigation. When the investigation would be held, no one knew; just when Global Warming hits the UK I suppose. In any case, I stopped getting the Allowance on the 2nd of Sept. The following Monday I rang the DWP - and they assured me it was being looked into. The following Monday - still no money. So I rang the Care Coordinator - who confirmed the above. She did not tell me because “I haven’t seen you.” As if - I’m a hard man to catch. She is disgustingly unprofessional. A complete flop.

The Dale Carers only come in 15mins at a time; one in the morning and one at night. They are only there as reminders for my mam’s medication. They won’t do anything more - unless my mam pays for it.

In the mean time, seeing I wasn’t getting the £66 - I told the Universal Credit people, who then stopped by top up for U.C, but at the same time - sill imposed the reductions! Since the Carer’s Allowance was merely suspended, their system was telling them I was still receiving C.A! So it ended up with me just getting Housing Benefit, and £50 less than my rent. I have no income at the mo; I have money - but I have no income!

But as things turned out - I got a Job and have now stopped my Carer’s Allowance claim. My mam - is now in danger with no full time carer to look after her daily needs.

If your mother is endangered in her new situation, she will need a new care assessment, possibly leading to her moving to where she can get the 24/7 care she may need.

That’s what I want to happen. I have an LPA on her Health & Welfare. But triggering it - would be a nightmare. I have evidence from the Police logs, from Lloyd’s Bank and Blue Line taxi; they are under pressure dealing with her.