BETSI Cadwaladr University Health Board are to conduct a 'second more detailed review' following backlash against cutting a paralysed Flintshire woman's care.
Adele Wynne, from Eryrys, was left paralysed from the waist down following a spinal cord injury which came from slipped disc surgery back in 2015, and relies heavily on the current 12-hour daily support she recieves from her support workers to help administer medication and to assist in with her mobility.
Following the health board's latest assessment, a decision was seemingly reached to reduce Adele's care from twelve hours a day to just four calls a day on a domiciliary basis which would entail just flying visits as she did not need the current level of support, the new care plan was set to change without appeal on May 23.
Adele also suffers from autonomic dysreflexia, a serious medical condition that can lead to stroke, seizures and unfortunately death.
One of Adele's support workers, Sam Linekar said: "We are around to stop this from happening as they [seizures] are so unpredictable.
"When they do happen, we administer medication to stop it from doing any lasting damage. Adele cannot administer this medication herself, and if an AD attack were to happen while we were no longer here and she had no support team in place, I fear the worst will happen.
"They're trying to cram in what would usually take us four hours of a morning, to an hour or two hours.
"Adele is a wonderfully kind, caring, compassionate, loyal yet fierce person. She has the best personality and sense of humour.
"She lives for her children and trying to make the best of the life she has been given. Adele never complains or moans, she just cracks on with it all.
"Adele has the the biggest heart and doesn’t deserve this."
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Reflecting on the news that the health board were set to cut her care, an upset Adele said: "I just feel that I'll be stuck in bed 24/7. I just think what's the point? There's no point is there?."
News of Adele's proposed new care plan sparked backlash from the local communtiy following a social media appeal which encouraged people to get in touch with Darren Millar MS for Clwyd West.
In his response, Mr Millar said: "I have every sympathy with Mrs Wynne and share concerns about the plans for a significant reduction in her care and support package from the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
"I have made urgent representations to the Chair of the Health Board to request an urgent and independent review of the support available.
"I have made it clear that until this review is undertaken there should be no changes in Mrs Wynne's care package."
In a turn of events, the health board are seemingly set for a u-turn in their decision to drastically cut Adele's care in the wake of the backlash from the communtiy.
In a statement, Director of Nursing for BCUHB’s East Integrated Health Community, Andrea Hughes said: “Eligibility for continuing healthcare is subject to annual reviews in line with the national CHC (continuing healthcare) Framework Wales 2021, to ensure that resources are appropriately allocated in accordance with an individual’s assessed care needs.
"Following a challenge to our most recent assessment of Ms Wynne’s care needs, we are conducting a second more detailed review, in order to ensure that the current allocated care hours are sufficient.”
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