Dudley Council to Review Disability Grant Service After Terminal Patients Face Year-Long Waits
Dudley Council has unanimously approved a comprehensive review of its Disabled Facilities Grant system following revelations that patients with terminal illnesses, including motor neurone disease, are waiting nearly a year for essential home adaptations. The decision came during a full council meeting on April 13, where councillors backed a Notice of Motion from Councillor Adeela Qayyum calling for urgent examination of the service.
Motion Highlights Critical Time Pressures for MND Patients
Councillor Qayyum emphasized the devastating nature of motor neurone disease, describing it as a brutal, fast-moving terminal condition where one-third of patients die within a year of diagnosis. She stressed that time is a luxury these patients simply do not have, making the current average wait of 353 days from initial contact to work commencement unacceptable.
"This motion is about time because for people living with MND time is something they do not have," stated Councillor Qayyum. "MND is one of the most devastating conditions imaginable, a brutal, fast-moving terminal disease."
Current System Fails to Meet Urgent Needs
While Dudley's average wait time of 353 days is slightly better than the national average of 375 days, it still falls far short of recommended standards. Experts advise that occupational therapist assessments should occur within 45 days of application, with work completed in 130 days for urgent cases like MND.
Councillor Qayyum clarified that the motion is not a criticism of council staff but rather a recognition that the current system was not designed with rapidly progressing terminal illnesses in mind. The condition severely affects patients' mobility, independence, and communication abilities as it attacks nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
Council Recognizes Moral Responsibility
The approved motion acknowledges that people with terminal conditions should not spend a significant portion of their remaining lives waiting for essential home adaptations. It states the authority has a moral responsibility to ensure services are delivered compassionately, proportionately, and responsively to end-of-life needs.
Although there is no cure for motor neurone disease, proper symptom management through timely home adaptations can help patients achieve the best possible quality of life during their remaining time.
