Madam,

I am writing with regard to Affinity Home Care and its cancellation of personal care packages as featured in the Cambrian News. I am one of those who have had their care packages cancelled.

I would like to pass on my deep gratitude to the employee of Mid Wales Home Care, now Affinity, who has provided me with superb personal care over past years. He is a credit to his profession and has shown great care towards me and my family.

I only have a small personal care package but it is very important to me. It gives me self respect and a degree of independence. Over the past eight years or so this personal care has been of great value to myself and my wife. Now Affinity has stopped it.

The only contact I had regarding the cancellation of my care was via social services, who were very distressed at the situation. So I telephoned Affinity to ask for an explanation of the cancellation of my service. I spoke to the manager, who informed me that the cancellation has nothing to do with funding or staffing. Affinity want all their staff to be in “zones” and on “routes”. Apparently I do not fit into any of their new zones or routes.

However, I live within five miles of at least one carer and, according to social services, less than five miles from another four of Affinity’s clients. I am less than 1.5 miles from the A487.

Social services tell me that it is highly unlikely that they will be able to find another home care service to take me on. It seems wrong that an independent, profit-making company can effectively override social services, override my social worker and cancel my care package. There are bigger issues here as to how people with disabilities are cared for. Yet for me this is very personal, a matter of dignity and independence.

I do hope that social services will find a replacement company to provide personal care for me.

Yours etc,

Name and address supplied.

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