Mum launches fight for carers' rights

First published Wednesday 26 November 2014 in News Northwich Guardian: Photograph of the Author by Gina Bebbington, Chief Reporter

A MUM and campaigner who has been a full time carer for 40 years is using Carers Rights Day to raise awareness of the problems she, and many others like her, face on a daily basis.

Moulton woman Dorothy Jump has cared for her son Christian since he was born.

He suffered with convulsions when he was just four months old, which put pressure on his brain and left him with severe learning disabilities, epilepsy and challenging behaviour.

Dorothy also has an older son, Mark, and has been a single parent since her marriage ended in 1988.

“I often thought ‘how will I be able to manage?’ but I did and I am proud of myself to get where I am now,” she said.

Carers Rights Day takes place on Friday, November 28, and was launched by Carers UK to make carers aware of their rights, where to get help and support and to raise awareness of their role.

This is something close to Dorothy’s heart after helping to set up the carers centre in Northwich 20 years ago, volunteering for a helpline and being a member of a number of groups, including a partnership board for adults with learning disabilities, inter-agency carers group and a carers forum group.

She has also organised petitions to fight changes in the benefit system for people with indefinite disabilities.

“I challenge for carers and the cared for,” she said.

“I am passionate about what I do and like to think I will and can make a change.

“Carers are a rock to society, they deal with the most challenging things in life – the Government need to do more to support these heroes.”

Dorothy, who lives in Meadow Lane, is even more keen to fight for change after a challenging 12 months that have seen her battling for medical help and tests for Christian since she saw a decline in his physical and mental health.

He has been suffering from sickness, weight loss, behavioural issues, aggression and anxiety, all of which Dorothy has had to cope with at home.

“Yes I did get support from social and health but did find at times the burden too much to handle,” she said.

Dorothy said has also struggled to get support from doctors, citing the example of being asked to take Christian into the GP surgery when she had already explained that he was at the stage where he was refusing to attend appointments.

“GPs have no understanding of the situation I was in with my son – for them one person fits all and there was no understanding of my struggles with my son’s learning disability problems,” she said.

She is now fighting for more training for GPs and medical staff to understand the needs of people with learning disabilities and appealing for people with learning disabilities to be prioritised by the health service.

She also wants to see better communication across health and social care services so that all staff who come into contact with a patient with special needs know everything they can about the individual.

“Common sense is all it needs – type up his file with all his likes, dislikes, any problems he has present and any sudden problems for for him or anyone else,” Dorothy said.

“It’s so simple but why are there still so many mistakes going on?

“I have decided it’s time for me to do something about this so I will be looking into it.

“I have already passed concerns over regarding issues in a crisis to meetings, Healthwatch, my MP and many more.

“We need to get this right, otherwise concerns just go on and on until a crisis appears then you see the flaws.

“Well I have so I have spoken out.

“I do believe there are many people without support who are struggling so please get support – do not be alone.”

For support or more information about Cheshire and Warrington Carers Centre visit the centre, at 146 London Road, visit carers.org/local-service/cheshire or ring 0800 085 0307.

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