1,000 signatures reached
To: South & West Yorkshire partnership NHS foundation trust,Barnsley Council, local MP’s and Tory Government
Closure of Keresforth Special Resource Centre Barnsley South Yorkshire
Firstly it would have been most welcomed if there had been consultation with the parents / families of these persons with severe / complex learning disabilities. Not to forget the wonderful staff who are not even aware as to what is happening. The last meeting was Sept 2016 where the chairperson clearly stated that there were changes being made on the estate but the disabled centre would remain open for at least another five years. She did add a caveat that if for whatever reason it was to close a purpose built unit would be built in the Barnsley district to the same or better standard and fully funded and that parents would be consulted throughout .
As you can see this is not the case and apparently the site is being made ready for sale for housing. Profit & bonuses before welfare of the vulnerable. It would also now appear that these disabled persons are to be displaced among other centres in the Barnsley district which do not offer the specialist services needed for these vulnerable persons so they are being completely disregarded . This is putting unbelievable stress on parents as they cannot get any information about the future wellbeing of their offspring and any attempt to do so is being thwarted at every avenue . Money is being put first by the callousness of the bureaucrats.
It would have been welcomed to consult on these changes explaining why they were making this decision and where they intend to place these persons going forward so as to fully support parents in wherever this maybe ensuring all needs of these vulnerable persons are met. Basically it will provide everything and more that the keresforth centre does at present including details of the building to be adapted which would need to ensure all health and safety needs are met. that the unit and all its contents and procedures have been fully risk assessed and the cost of replacement specialist equipment and removal costs of current equipment. Not to mention that the staffing of these units be met to the standards of the current unit and not diluted by either total numbers or qualified staff.
The planned displacement has neither been discussed or agreed with parents. They will eventually be informed but we know not when and as it sits have absolutely no say in the well-being of their child. How can this be happening .
Consultation is paramount to these persons and their families so stop thinking about profit & bonuses and start to understand the needs and keep your promises.
Why is this important?
These disabled people cannot speak for themselves . The parents need these places because it is not only a stimulus for the person with the disability but also gives them some time for normality
The council / SWYPT should clearly explain why these persons the most vulnerable in society are being targetted and what benefits this gives these persons by doing this. It cannot be at the detriment of their welfare which if it goes ahead as planned quite clearly will be.
The MP’s should be in touch with local change and therefore should be championing these vulnerable persons to ensure they receive the best care
The Tory government’s lack of funding for social care especially to those who do not and therefore cannot speak for themselves are an easy target .This is both callous and thoughtless from start to finish . It is paramount these persons get the best that society can give them .
The young lady I know may not be able to speak nor can she walk , feed herself ,dress herself or look after her personal hygiene . But one thing she can do is light up a room with her infectious smile because she is such a beautiful young lady who is so loved and cared for. To think that by making these changes she may be affected and lose this wonderful trait is beyond comprehension. If only she could express her feelings and let everyone know how this will affect her wellbeing
As for her parents they are both retired and have health issues. Do they really need the added stress of not knowing what will happen to their child and the worry associated with what is being planned
This is becoming the norm all over the UK why do we not stand up to these contemptible people and say NO MORE . The vulnerable need our voice so let’s shout it out loud and clear . Stop these insane cuts on the severely disabled and start and make them feel loved and wanted and have the best life they can have . Not forgetting the parents and families who suffer when they feel their child is being neglected and that they have no voice and are invisible to the powers that be .
I have shown this as a local issue as this is occurring in my local constituency but I firmly believe it is happening right now in numerous places across the UK and will continue unless we do whatever we can to stop it.
Please can you give your support to the plight of these vulnerable persons
