Waiting by the phone for council to call

I completely concur with the frustration of Mr David Bonner in Monday's Advertiser.

I have been trying to get social services to answer the phone. My father is in a care home and has been self-funding his stay.

When the sale of his house fell through I tried to get temporary financial support for him from social services. No one answers the phone ever. So I contacted the finance department direct.

They told me that I wouldn’t be considered until my father was registered with social services. I told her that no one answers the phone.

She told me to ring the main switch board which I did but it is just the same message with the same options as social services number. No answer.

So I filled out a complaint online. Someone rang me, I explained what I wanted. They said they would contact the care home. They never have.

So I emailed the CEO of Swindon Borough Council. I never got a response from her but I did get a call from social services. Hurrah. They took my details, said they would inform someone who would call me back by 1.30 that day.

That was a week ago. No one has ever rung me back.

So my message to Swindon Borough Council and those who think their service excellent, that they are elected to serve all residents of Swindon, not just those with technical skills.

And by the way your online service is rubbish.

What is the point of a phone line no one answers? You are bound to think yourself excellent if no one gets the chance to complain.

Oh, and if anyone from social services is reading this, would you ring me before my father's money runs out in December and he loses his care home place.

Carol Cheese

Covingham

Swindon

Affordable eating for diabetes patients

Following the backlog from the pandemic and the lack of GP appointments, receiving information and support for many people living with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes has been difficult and often stressful, especially so for those who have been recently diagnosed.

Not only can this be worrying for people but they feel that they do not have enough information to manage their diabetes themselves.

In this situation, we would like your readers to know that we can help them to learn more about their diabetes and how to look after themselves with our range of free booklets.

Probably the most useful is Diabetes – Everyday Eating, which contains 28 days of menus of everyday, affordable meals to help people manage their diabetes.

Understanding Your Diabetes gives general Information about Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes – Management and Medication is especially useful for people with Type 2 diabetes.

One of the possible complications of diabetes is nerve damage to the feet. In this case, prevention of problems is very important, so our booklet Looking After Your Feet is useful and gives practical help.

All our booklets are FREE, so we hope you will let your readers know that we can help.

They can obtain copies of all the above booklets and our publication list by contacting the Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust: telephone 01604 622837 or email: jenny@iddtinternational.org

Jenny Hirst

Co-Chair IDDT,

PO Box 294,

Northampton

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