Forum Topic

Carer unable to fulfil a care visit in Grove Park. No access.

An elderly neighbour 92 years old was deprived of a visit by caregiver tonight to prepare her evening meal. The access across the A4 North of Chiswick was closed. The carer could not travel down Strand on the Green  or Hartingdon to visit her client. The carer had to call the family of our elderly neighbour and say she could not carry out the visit and feared for the safety of her client. The family are in a tier 3 area outside London and could not drive to visit their relative. Fortunately a neighbour was able to help out. However it may mean that the lady may now need to go into a care home as regular visits can no longer be guaranteed. This is absolutely terrifying. South Chiswick is becoming completely cutoff and impossible for residents to leave or return. Journeys that normally take 15 minutes are now trebled or impossible.

Alina Dansord ● 2149d16 Comments

Southbound difficulty crossing A4 is temporary, but your neighbour should report to the Hounslow consultation the problem she has if visitors, deliveries and indeed careers aren't able to enter via Hartington. Unless carers can get 'permits'?

Peter Evans ● 2149d

"The access across the A4 North of Chiswick was closed. The carer could not travel down Strand on the Green  or Hartingdon to visit her client."All she needed to do was to get to the Hogarth Roundabout from where there are several routes into Grove Park. To say that regular visits can no longer be guaranteed is absurd.

Richard Jennings ● 2149d

Slightly disappointed with your answer Richard; you are normally so helpful.  It is absolutely true that there are ways to get to Hartington Road, but carers are on tight schedules, might not know all the alternatives and in this case might have been told that the only safe way was through Sutton Court Road - never mind what the traffic looked like last night with the added issue of the right turn into Chiswick Lane. An elderly lady was deprived of her usual care and very upset no doubt.

Cecile Parfitt ● 2149d

Richard Jennings claimed:" All she needed to do was to get to the Hogarth Roundabout from where there are several routes into Grove Park. To say that regular visits can no longer be guaranteed is absurd. "Unfortunately Mr Jennings not everyone in life isas knowledgable about things as you clearly are.More especially when it comes to the type of "specialised knowledge" which is now required ofoutsiders if they're to venture into Grove Park without inadvertently landing themselves withcumulative fines for repeated offences which they were totally unaware that they'd committed.There's nothing whatsoever "absurd" in outside visitors not knowing any of these things, rather the contrary in fact. It's rather arrogant to suppose otherwise More especially if these carers are having to cope with similarly complex new road restrictions in other areas. Assuming your intention was to be helpful it might have been useful had you specified the exact routes you had in mind with your reference to "several routes into Grove Park". Rather than expect cares who are doubtless already short of time as it is, to find these out for themselves. Presumably by driving around slowly carefully looking out for restriction notices and hoping they hadn't missed any.michael adams... 

Michael Adams ● 2149d

Richard, your post 'All she needed to do was to get to the Hogarth Roundabout from where there are several routes into Grove Park. To say that regular visits can no longer be guaranteed is absurd'You do realise Richard that yesterday pm, as a result of the closure, that the A4 was stationary eastbound upto the Hogarth, absolutely no idea how long it would take to get into GP along that route. As traffic normalise, and if more traffic is diverted onto the A316, then Hogarth will more often be under pressure with similar knock on effects. Also traffic coming up from Kew Bridge has to use CHiswick roundabout (which will be under even greater pressure) and then along Barrowgate and finally down SCR. A significant increase in journey times.If coming from north Chiswick or Acton, then all the closures and increased queues will impact journey times.So I find your suggestion that this concern is 'absurd' somewhat bizarre and not grounded in the new realities.

Paul Green ● 2149d

I've had to use the Hogarth roundabout option when SCR has been impossibly blocked. It's fine when traffic is light, but nightmarish when it is heavy. Richard underestimates how difficult it has become to get in and out of Grove Park. It helps to live here to appreciate just how hard.In the last few months I've had a health issue meaning frequent unprovided trips to hospital. That perspective really brings home the folly of how our neighbourhood has been carved up; the squirming discomfort as a cab driver tries to figure out the best route - and, as yesterday, the desperation as a cab struggled to make it eastbound along Burlington Lane in the rush-hour. The traffic was bottle-necked with no passing room.It speaks poorly for local democracy that we and our local councillors are so powerless in a matter that affects our so lives so profoundly - and the lives of others peripherally, if at all.

Brendan McCarthy ● 2149d

"More especially when it comes to the type of 'specialised knowledge' which is now required of outsiders if they're to venture into Grove Park ..."The carer was north of the A4 and needed to get to Grove Park.  It doesn't need specialised knowledge. Surely anyone making regular journeys around Chiswick would realise that if SCR is blocked, there are other routes into Grove Park from the north such as Park Road, SCR south, Burlington Lane, etc., all accessible from Hogarth Roundabout. The fact that Hartington Road is no longer available to visitors is irrelevant when there are nearer alternatives. "it might have been useful had you specified the exact routes you had in mind"Since I didn't know the carer's starting point and destination, I couldn't specify exact routes, but would be happy to do so if it meant that a 92-year-old could continue to stay in her own home.

Richard Jennings ● 2148d

Richard: as others have pointed out yesterday the closure of SCR southbound has had serious knock on effects to traffic.  Couple that with the confusion as to whether you can turn right from CHR onto Chiswick Lane (hopefully will be rapidly resolved) and the likelihood of gridlock has increased exponentially particularly during rush hours. Carers may not be that local and will be following routes suggested by satnav.  If those are blocked or jammed with traffic then, given that carers are on a relatively tight time frame for visit, the effect may well be that carers simply cannot service residents in Grove Park effectively.

Justin Stephenson ● 2148d

Are carers paid for their travelling time now.

Janice Evans ● 2148d

According to Google they do get paid travelling time but if they cannot reach the destination .....

Janice Evans ● 2148d

Whats getting paid traveling time got to do with not being able to treat their patients in there short time scale their allowed.

Bernard Allen ● 2148d

"Since I didn't know the carer's starting point and destination, I couldn't specify exact routes, but would be happy to do so if it meant that a 92-year-old could continue to stay in her own home"Utterly tone deaf.Should all carers simply have you on speed dial so when they're stuck in traffic and you can suggest a route? Or perhaps they should just send in their routes a day early so you can audit and approve?Michael Adams is absolutely spot on in his response.There's an arrogance that seeps through your argument, Richard, and it is devoid of any understanding of those who are traveling through Chiswick for whatever purpose. Doubly so when it comes to caring for the elderly and someone having to go without a meal. One day that will be you. But hey, don't get worked up about it when your carer can't get to you because they got lost or stuck in traffic.

David Lesniak ● 2148d

Bernard, if they are stuck in traffic they won't be treating any patients.

Janice Evans ● 2148d

I remember carers having timetables that were in any case unworkable as they were employed by agencies who didn't want to and did not pay the travelling time between clients to which they were entitled let alone giving their clients the full amount of time to which they were entitled.I don't know how any carer could possibly work without a smartphone with a mapping facility to show alternative routes should their usual one not be available.  There was always cheese and biscuits or some other snack available should there be a problem with carers turning up with meals because you always have to plan for something going wrong. No you never do want this to happen but it's life and things that you don't want to happen do happen.It is high time that we had a joined up system for elderly care in this country.

Philippa Bond ● 2148d

Until recently there were two routes from CHR to Grove Park if SCR was closed or backed up with traffic. One was via the Chiswick roundabout and Strand on the Green. That no longer exists for most of us.The other is via Dukes Avenue and the Hogarth roundabout. This is feasible in light traffic. It is nightmarish when the A4 is busy. It has sometimes  taken me 35-40 mins to get home this way.Please let’s not minimise what the closure of SCR means for our Grove Park community. The ridiculous LTN changes mean that SCR is under more pressure than ever before.

Brendan McCarthy ● 2148d

Your right Philippa, the main problem was that family were not allowed to give the medication so a carer had to be there for that.

Janice Evans ● 2148d