Campaigners say a call made by Ealing Council to a single mother recovering from a heart attack telling her she had to arrange care for him proves that the decision to close Heller House this summer is the wrong one.
The mother, who was admitted to Ealing Hospital on Saturday (April 16), has an autistic 17-year-old son who was staying at Heller House, in Southall, before the emergency and was due to leave on Sunday (April 17), until her medical emergency.
Although the council extended his stay by a day, the boy could not stay at the home, which provides short breaks for young people with disabilities, on Tuesday (April 19) because it was closed.
Campaigners who fought to keep Heller House open have visited the woman, who asked not to be named, in hospital, and say she was asked by the council via a telephone call to the cardiology ward to arrange respite for her son on this day, which caused her additional stress.
They say the mother was let down by the council in that alternative accommodation could not be arranged by them while she was in recovery.
Bernadette Guneratne, who has an autistic 17-year-old son, said the episode had had a negative effect on the woman.
Mrs Guneratne, who has lived in Ealing for 18 years and campaigned to keep Heller House open, said: "I was extremely distressed when I heard that a mother of a severely autistic teenager had suffered a heart attack whilst in recovery, in the Cardiology ward, and was contacted by Ealing’s Social Care to ‘sort’ out her son’s emergency provision."
Council says alternative care was provided
She added: "I can only imagine the added stress this would have caused to her and the possible set back in her recovery.
"Life is challenging enough when you have a child with autism, both emotionally and physically.
"One would hope that those with the authority to support you in crisis would step up and do the right thing, especially for a single parent who has been hospitalised."
On February 16, councillors voted to close Heller House, coming into affect from June, because they argued the Victorian building is unfit for purpose.
Councillors also argued there is a reduced need, a claim strongly refuted by campaigners, and would replace it with "spot purchases", whereby contracts are given to providers "best placed" to meet a child's need.
The council claim they already extended the boys stay by two nights and offered to provide professional carers at home.
A spokesperson said: "In agreement with the young person’s parents, we extended his planned stay last weekend at Heller House by two nights until Tuesday.
"Heller House was not due to open on Tuesday night and we therefore offered to provide professional carers at home as an alternative.
"Instead we supported the family’s decision for close relatives to care for him at home and we have arranged for additional care to be provided at Heller House for the remainder of the week."
