Apathy or revenge?

I'm getting really bored of the Social Services saga but it seems they are in no hurry to resolve issues, or even do their jobs properly.  I know people are busy but whatever happen to common courtesy?  Or even common sense?

On the advice of the nice lady at the complaints department I contacted the manager's manager two weeks ago to take my complaint further.  Believe me I have tried to figure out the new budget but there is no way I can meet my needs and keep myself out of hospital with 23 hours support per week.

I sent the manager an email.  It's been 15 days since I sent it and he has not even acknowledged receipt of it.  I emailed again last week but still no reply.  The complaints lady has also contacted him twice but I've still not heard anything.  I am not a patient person so I've contacted my MP about the matter.  Perhaps that will get his attention?  I can only hope.

Last night I realised that the social workers hadn't kept a couple of their promises.  In late April the team manager offered my husband a carers assessment and I specifically asked if they could send him the forms.  In early May I completed a permission slip for a referral to Occupational Therapy and returned it to the department.

I hadn't received the forms or an OT appointment so I telephoned the team manager today to find out what was happening.  Guess what the manager said?

"We haven't made the referral to OT yet because you were going away on a course."

WHAT?

It's been six weeks since I returned the permission slip and they knew what dates I would be away for, so I asked why they hadn't made the appointment.  I got the same answer, because I was going away on a course.  I asked why that prevented them from making an appointment and the manager abruptly told me she had answered that question already.

Now I know it's difficult trying to make arrangements when someone has plans but it's not impossible.  I telephoned a consultant's secretary the other day to rescuedule an appointment that had been made for me. The first question she asked was, "Are there any dates you're not available?"  It's common sense, not rocket science, but apparently the concept is beyond Social Services.

When I asked about the carer's assessment forms the manager believed they had already been sent out.  They hadn't.  I got an email from one of the review workers this afternoon saying that the forms had been put in the post and they had made a Priority 1 referral to OT.  About bloody time!

I've never been well enough to have a job but I take a pride in the things I do.  I try to keep my word and reply to communications in a prompt and timely fashion.  I'm not sure what is going on with Social Services.  Is it apathy?  Are they doing it on purpose as revenge for me spotting the non-existant policy plot to do people out of domestic support?  Or are they just completely incompetant?

Answers on a postcard...