MARIANNE Dalton, of Balnarring, was “placed in a queue” after a doctor said she required the type of in-home help previously provided by Mornington Peninsula Shire.
The shire has handed over its responsibilities for the type of service Dalton was eligible to receive to two commercial providers chosen by the federal government.
The doctor filled out the request for two hours of home help a fortnight in June last year but, after hearing nothing by October, Dalton called the appointed provider mecwacare only to be told that her paperwork had not been misplaced but “I was in a queue, they didn’t have enough staff and COVID meant existing staff were often sick or isolating”.
Christmas came and went and in January she again made contact.
“I told them that to leave people in various levels of stress and distress with not one word makes it obvious their advertising about caring for clients is complete nonsense and not true.”
The company said everyone on their waiting list had been contacted by letter. Dalton did not receive a letter.
“In May, I was to have major surgery, and this was now a crucial issue,” she said. “Since then, a staff member was here on 9 May for 1.5 hours; 27 June, one hour; 12 July, one hour, and I am still waiting for the next visit.
“Fortnightly help for two hours is nothing but a dream.
“In my experience mecwacare don’t communicate or care at all about commitments they make, and the shire is completely negligent in allowing the situation to continue.”
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 16 August 2022
