Margaret Ritchie, MP for South Down, has expressed her “disgust” at the South Eastern Trust’s announcement to introduce frozen meals for the Community Meals Service beginning in May this year.
Speaking today, Ms Ritchie said: “I am totally appalled at this announcement to introduce frozen meals as part of the valuable ‘meals on wheels’ service. I am concerned for the welfare of the elderly who rely on this provision, as it is and would ask that the Trust really consider the consequences of the implementation of frozen meals will have on people.”
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South Down MP Margaret Ritchie has expressed her anger at the freezing out of the meals on wheels service.[/caption]
Ms Ritchie MP added, “I have asked the Trust, should this implementation occur, how they will assess individual users to determine whether the service is suitable for them and if not, what the alternative options are? Have they taken on board that not all elderly people avail of a full sized freezer, so how would they accommodate 14 frozen meals and desserts?
“I understand that a grant may be available to help with the purchase of a freezer, however, what will be the criteria for determining whether a person is eligible for this grant and will the grant meet the full costs of the freezer? What other options will be available to those who do not meet the criteria for this grant? Many elderly people are housebound and many do not have an advocate to purchase a freezer in their behalf, what provisions will be made for these people?
“It saddens me that the Trust is not taking on board the consequences the introduction of frozen meals will have. The upheaval will be unhelpful to many of the elderly who use the Community Meals Service. I have written to Hugh McCaughey, the Chief Executive of the Trust, to put these important points to him and to urge him and his colleagues to review the implementation of frozen meals for the Community Meals Service, for the sake of some of the most vulnerable in our society.”
Assessment of the elderly and those receiving the meals presently will be important as a number of clients may well have difficulty if heating meals for themselves and doing so safely. There is also the issue of the users being able to read and understand instructions on the packages, and ensuring the food is rotated properly for health reasons.
This move will likely add to the sense of isolation that many current ‘meals on wheels’ recipients have people, especially in rural areas.
Many politicians have voiced their concerns at the vulnerable in our society being ‘frozen out’ as part of a cost-cutting exercise.
With the launch of the Donaldson report this week calling for a fundamental strategic review of the hospitals and Trust system, the ‘meals on wheels’ issue may have drifted into the background, but it will not go away.
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