Coleraine mum says family is 'at breaking point' over changes to care of disabled daughter

Tracey Henry’s profoundly disabled daughter Ellie has to be fed and receive medication through a tube almost every hour of the day.

Until recently Tracey had help from a care assistant paid for by a Northern Health and Social Care Trust service called Direct Payment to carry out Ellie’s feeding and medication.

However, the Trust have now said that unqualified carer assistants can no longer carry out such tasks and these must be undertaken by health care professionals.

A number of Health Trusts in Northern Ireland are reviewing the legislation and policies around Direct Payments on what those carer assistamts can and can't do.

Mother-of-two Tracey said: “They're now saying that despite my Direct Payment carers being trained and signed off by the Trust for peg feeding that they can no longer do that.

"They're saying they can't do any nursing needs. So every 90 minutes to two hours a day, I have to be here 24/7 to do this as there’s no nursing staff available.

"I'm on the verge of another nervous breakdown as I can't cope. I only try to do my best for the girls and put them above my needs always.”

Tracey also voiced her concern about the stress the situation has placed on her other daughter Kayla who gave up a part-time job to help her mother care for Ellie.

"We are all at breaking point. She [Kayla] needs help to be able to cope and we feel as a family we have been failed by the health services.”

A spokesperson for the Northern Health and Social Care Trust said: “We are in the process of reviewing Direct Payments in relation to the relevant legislation around health care tasks that can be administered under Direct Payment arrangements.

"We are committed to providing the highest standards of care and will continue to liaise with Ellie’s family to ensure Ellie receives the care she needs.”