Decision Report 201304427

Summary

Mr C accepted the tenancy of a sheltered home, which he said required some upgrading as the bath was not suitable for him and he wanted to have a shower fitted. He said that although he contacted the occupational therapy service in February 2012, and was told that an appointment would be made to assess his needs, the service did not contact him. He also said that when he called to enquire about the appointment he was told it had been overlooked and that it would not be possible to make an appointment for him until near the end of May 2012. As he had to vacate his current property by 1 June 2012, he decided to arrange for the bathroom to be upgraded himself, including the removal of the bath and the installation of a shower. When, on completion, he asked for financial assistance towards the costs involved, this was refused as no assessment had been carried out and a retrospective recommendation could not be made.

Our investigation found no evidence that Mr C's assessment had been overlooked. We found that an occupational therapist had phoned him in April 2012 to say that he was on the waiting list for an assessment but this could not be completed until he was in the property. He was advised of the procedures and potential waiting times for an assessment, and the therapist also explained that his medical conditions would be taken into consideration but it would be his functional ability that would determine what would be provided, and in the meantime he could maintain hygiene by washing. As we were satisfied that the council had made him fully aware of the process that needed to be undertaken before a shower could be considered for him, we did not uphold his complaint.