by Gareth Cross
The Western Trust this weekend apologised for inconsistencies in their transport provision to a Derry care centre for young adults with disabilities.
The Derry News was contacted by a carer concerned about the lack of notice given when the trust were unable to provide transport to the Maybrook Day Care Centre.
Shelly McAleer said that if the regular driver was sick or off then the service was usually cancelled, but that it could take hours for parents and carers to be informed by the Trust.
"Anytime the driver goes off service users are unable to get to the centre, they don't even ring to let you know," she said.
"I have a girl ready to to work and then no bus arrives and you might not find out why for a couple of hours.
"There's no backup driver to replace the usual one and I'm fed up with it."
Mrs McAleer said that missing work had a negative impact on the young woman she cares for.
"As a result of missing what she considers to be her work she suffers the effects of anxiety," she said.
"She has a learning disability and it really throws her off her routine and she can become agitated.
"It's very important in her life, it's her whole world. The service is a social outlet for her that I can't provide, when she misses it there is a whole knock down effect."
She said that she hoped the trust would make an effort to improve the service.
"I'm just looking for a bit of communication and some planning ahead," said Mrs McAleer.
"They have said that they are going to put money back into disability services but I'm yet to see it. It's happening too often, the Trust have made a big deal at meetings recently about protecting disability services, they need to practice what they preach."
'Not always cover'
A spokesperson for the Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) said that although the trust tries to get drivers to cover this isn't always possible.
“The Trust provides transport via bus to and from Maybrook Day Care Centre on a daily basis for Service Users attending the centre," the spokesperson said.
"When a driver is unable to fulfil their duties management and administration staff within the Trust’s Transport Department endeavour to provide a backup driver to cover.
"Unfortunately on occasions, due to the short notice it is not always possible to achieve this.
The spokesperson said that they try to let families know when the service is unavailable.
"However, when this arises, families are notified as soon as possible by telephone or text message and given the option to transport their relative themselves to the centre," the spokesperson said.
"We understand the impact this has on service users and their carers and the Trust apologises for any disruption or inconvenience this may cause.”
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