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SHEPPARD FAMILY CONTACT CCFTV TO HELP THE FAMILY RAISE AWARENESS TO THE FAMILY'S FIGHT TO BRING THEIR DAD HOME

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/973941/nhs-hospital-crisis-health-care-six-months-terminally-ill-man

Simone Sheppard with her Dad Allan Sheppard, diagnosed with MND and expressing a wish to go back home to be cared for

Care Campaign for the Vulnerable receive hundreds of messages every week telling of families and carers distraught over their treatment in the care sector and loved one's care is often resulting in a battle. Allan Sheppard is a brave Dad battling Motor Neuron Disease since diagnosis in 2015 and his family say it's their right to carry out their Dad's wishes and bring him back home to be cared for but looking each day to not becoming a possibility. Simone Sheppard 36, Allan's carer and devoted daughter told Care Campaign for the Vulnerable 'I will support my Dad 100 per cent. If he wanted to go into a care home 77 miles away and is his express wish - I would, of course, be unhappy, but it would be supported.

''A LIFE'S A LIFE'' Daughter, Simone Sheppard

This is about what my Dad wants and he has always maintained his wish is to go home to carry on fighting to live. The authorities made it quite clear that they feel the care package we propose would no longer be sustainable but we strongly disagree and so do some professionals. The CCG /CHC we feel are taking what happened a while back when we did have trouble with home care agencies into account - but it was NOT our fault. A care agency who came to see dad said they couldn't have the capacity of staff and another home care agency, the carers were not trained. But is this enough to just say it has 'broken down'? Dad wants to come home. We have been told he has maybe two years left. That's two years. It's still a life and he can live it at home with us - this is what he wants. How can we go against that? If he goes into the care home authorities propose 77 miles away with family unable to see him - that will kill him''. She pleaded '''Why can't we just try one more attempt and if it breaks down then we will say 'at least we've really tried'. Authorities are refusing and even stating via our Solicitor that if we don't take the package of care on offer then there's a possibility they will withdraw all NHS treatment and dad could be 'forcibly removed from the ICU in hospital. How are we supposed to respond to that? It's a threat - do they not know my Dad just wants to go home - to be loved and cared for by those around him who care?''

''MY DAD JUST WANTS TO GO HOME TO BE CARED FOR''

Care Campaign for the Vulnerable was approached by Simone Sheppard asking for help to highlight the Sheppard family's case to help bring their Dad home. This has been a huge battle for the Sheppard family and one CCFTV don't know how they've coped with. Our Founder Jayne Connery went to meet Mr Sheppard to decide what to do and within ten minutes of meeting him and his daughter saw a family grieved. Jayne said ''Sometimes, the care sector can be a lonely place and often your wants and needs are initially listened to but only for a while and then the system closes off. The bottom line, the authorities say the package of care is not workable and too expensive. The family and all their supporters say it is workable if given the support to maintain it. This man is a human being and still has full mental capacity despite his MND. He has the ability to make it clear he wants to go home. In anyone's mind - regardless of anything else, it should be made happen with the right package of care. ''

Simone now plans to approach again the CCG with another offer regarding home care. Jayne said ' We will go back to the CCG/CHC with this offer and decide what the family need to do. I want to thank the Daily Express for highlighting this case on behalf of the Care Campaign for the Vulnerable's and raising public awareness of this families plight. We are grateful the newspaper has placed this tragic case front page. We hope this will gain far more traction with the public finally bringing Allan home to be cared for and allowing him his wish. Care Campaign for the Vulnerable would like to thank everyone who has offered Alan and his family huge support and the offers of free equipment and fundraising for Mr Sheppard have been overwhelming. This proves there is a lot of heart and compassion in the care sector and in society and the Sheppard family are so very grateful for everyone's support.