A Derry woman who suffers from dementia has had her care package removed because she smokes.
A team of carers have helped Noreen McCullagh’s family look after her for the past seven years.
The carers called to her Glen Road home each day and performed a range of tasks.
As well as helping Mrs McCullagh, the carers’ visits also provided a period of respite for her husband, Vin, who is a full-time carer for his wife.
However, the McCullaghs were recently told the care package was being removed with immediate effect because Mrs McCullagh was a heavy smoker.
Mr McCullagh said he was struggling to look after his wife on his own and said he feared she might have to move into a nursing home.
“This is totally going against what the health authorities say is their policy of caring for people in their homes as much as possible,” he said.
“To remove someone’s carers because they smoke is a ridiculous decision.”
Both Mr McCullagh and his wife are former mental health nurses at Gransha Hospital in Derry.
However, Mrs McCullagh was forced to give up her work around 12 years when she became ill.
She was diagnosed with a dementia-type illness and also has ataxia which is a group of disorders that affect co-ordination, balance and speech.
Mr McCullagh gave up his job several years to look after his wife on a full-time basis.
The local couple suffered a heartbreaking loss in April of this year when their 30-year-old son Dean died suddenly.
Dean was the McCullaghs’ oldest son. The couple have two other children, Ben and Tyrone.
In relation to his wife’s illness, Mr McCullagh said his family was offered a care package seven years ago which was managed by the Shantallow Community Mental Health Team.
“The package essentially meant that carers would come into our home and assist my wife dressing, personal hygiene issues and act as company and a psychological stimulus by playing word games etc.
“The carers would also keep my wife safe as she had a tendency in the early days of her illness to leave the house having become disorientated. This factor was the most pressing reason I sought early retirement.”
Mr McCullagh said he was told that the care package would also give him a break.
“This package therefore worked very well because it served a dual role by helping both my wife and myself to get on with our lives.
“The carers coming in to our home helped to keep my wife out of a care home.
“They also helped me avoid the need for acute intervention by allowing me to have the vital respite that I needed to live my life and carry on my carer’s role.”
Mr McCullagh described the standard of care provided for his wife by the care package team as ‘excellent’.
However, he admitted that he had recently complained about some issues surrounding one carer who looked after his wife.
A meeting was organised in July of this year to discuss this matter.
The meeting was attended by Mr McCullagh and two senior officials involved in the management of his wife’s care package.
It was agreed at the meeting that the officials would try to find a replacement carer.
However, the minutes of the meeting, which have been seen by the Derry News, also highlight the officials’ concern at Mrs McCullagh’s heavy smoking.
One of the officials said her ‘heavy smoking habit is a significant issue when trying to source cover’.
It was also agreed at the meeting that one of the officials would visit Mrs McCullagh to explain to her that her ‘current smoking habit could potentially affect her future provision of care’.
The official said she would also request Mrs McCullagh’s consent for a Smoking Cessation Officer to call out to her home to speak to her.
Following the July meeting, Mr McCullagh said the care package continued as before.
However, he said one of the management officials called to his home on October 8 and told them that his wife’s care package was being removed with immediate effect.
He said he was told that the reason for this was because his wife was a smoker.
Mr McCullagh acknowledged that his wife’s smoking had been raised as an issue before.
However, he said she had taken steps to change her habits.
“Noreen only smokes in the conservatory and I have always told the carers who did not her smoking to come into another part of the house.
“Quite a few of the carers that we have had over the years have also been smokers, and I think it is ridiculous that this is being put forward as a reason for my wife’s care package being removed.
“Are they going to treat other families in the same way?
“Smoking is very common but why are we being singled out?”
The Western Trust said it did not wish to comment on her case.
“Respecting patient/client confidentiality the Trust does not comment on individual cases,” said a spokesperson.
“If a patient or their relative has any issue in relation to their treatment we would encourage them to raise these issues through the Trust's comments and complaints system - the Patients' Advocate Office.
“The Patients' Advocate Office can be contacted on (028) 7161 1226.
“All complaints received are investigated promptly and a response issued to the person making the complaint as soon as possible.”