By Alan Healy
A Derry man who lost his father in a car crash has hit out at the ‘horrific’ treatment his mother received from health assessors.
Christopher Sherrard’s 60-year-old father Wilson died from the injuries he sustained in a car crash on the Foreglen Road near Claudy last August.
In the wake of the tragedy, Christopher formed a support group for people bereaved by road traffic collisions, after he discovered there was no specialist help available for his mother Ann in the aftermath of his father’s death.
Life After aims to provide support for families struggling to cope with the emotional trauma of losing a loved one, with a focus on early intervention, such as providing counselling in the immediate days following the incident.
The group currently provides support for 35 families through its monthly steering group meetings, and is in the process of developing a new ‘intervention package’.
In addition, Life After also provide practical advice and assistance to family members through its development officer, Kathleen Bradley, with issues such as benefit entitlements, such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which recently replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
In many cases, relatives of those who have lost loved ones may not be able to return to full-time work due to the ongoing trauma of their bereavement, and therefore apply for PIP.
However, Christopher said that there were concerns over the treatment of bereaved families by PIP assessors.
Christopher raised the issue at a special meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Environment and Regeneration meeting, where he described the PIP assessors’ treatment of bereaved family members, including that of his own mother, Ann, as ‘horrific’.
Speaking to the Derry News after the meeting, Christopher said that Life After was now seeking to meeting with the head of PIP in Northern Ireland to discuss their concerns.
“There are definitely concerns over the situations some of these families are finding themselves in when they are being assessed for PIP,” he said.
“Every family who unfortunately find themselves in this position can apply for PIP.
“In my mother’s case, she had to take a reduction in her working hours because of what happened with my father, and that meant all she had was a bereavement pension.
“Therefore she couldn’t claim for a year, and when she did, the PIP assessors turned her down.
“She then had to go through an interview as part of the appeal process, which was horrific, and many other families have to go through this.”
Christopher, added that while his mother’s appeal was successful, it had been ‘very stressful’.
“These interviews take a toll on people who already struggling to cope because of a deep emotional trauma, and they shouldn’t be made to fight so hard for it,” he continued.
“We’re now meeting with the head of PIP in Northern Ireland in January to address these issues.
Life After now has its own Trauma Counsellor, Debbie Mullan, a qualified counsellor, who has personal experience of suffering a bereavement due to road traffic collisions, having lost her son.
Speaking to the Derry News, Debbie said that she shared Christopher’s concerns about the PIP process, particularly in relation to diagnosing people who are suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
“People who lose a loved one through a road traffic collision suffer a traumatic bereavement, which can manifest itself in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).” she said.
“That can be suffering flashbacks, memories, sweating and nausea.
“The problem is that while a doctor can say that someone is displaying symptoms of PTSD, they can’t actually diagnose, that can only be done by a clinical psychologist.”
Debbie continued that it is these ‘unseen’ health problems that PIP assessors must now take into account.
“Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there,” she continued.
“And that can make it very difficult for people we are helping through this process.
“That’s why we need to meet with PIP and tell them that with the issue of mental health, one size does not fit all.”
Meanwhile, members of Derry City and Strabane District Council also voiced their support for Life After at last week’s meeting, where Christopher delivered a presentation on the work they do.
Commenting, the SDLP’s Brian Tierney, said that he was ‘shocked’ to discover how little support there was for families who had lost a loved one through a road traffic collision, adding that Life After do ‘incredible work’.
The UUP’s Derek Hussey added that Life After were doing ‘something positive’ for bereaved families, while Sinn Fein’s Colly Kelly continued that the group’s achievement since its establishment had been ‘exceptional’.
At the weekend, Christopher received Northern Ireland's Road Safety Award for contributions in the voluntary sector through the work carried out by 'Life After' which was presented at an event held in Cultra Manor, Belfast at the weekend.
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