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11
Sept 2021
Ripon man left alone in bed for 12 hours a night due to care staff crisis
Acute staff shortages in the care sector are forcing a disabled Ripon man to miss meals and stay in bed for up to 12 hours a day.
Daniel Abel, 37, has cerebral palsy and requires full-time care to live independently.
Mr Abel was discharged by a private sector care provider recently due to staff shortages, which brought him under the care of North Yorkshire County Council's emergency reablement service.
Mr Abel said the county council told him he would be under its care for up to three weeks but almost four weeks have passed and there is still no sign of being moved to a new provider.
Under his current care plan, he has a carer for one hour in the morning, 45 minutes at lunch time and another hour at bed time. By contrast, he received four hours of care in the morning and four hours at night with his previous provider.
Because Mr Abel no longer receives care at teatime he goes without an evening meal because he is too scared he may hurt himself.
Can't eat, drink or go to toilet
His final carer arrives at 8pm to put him to bed, where he remains for almost 12 hours unable to eat, drink or go to the toilet.
He said being in bed for this much time also contributed to skin problems. Mr Abel added:
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He said he has spoken with another Harrogate care provider, which said it can offer him care but it may take three more weeks because of recruitment problems.
1,000 job vacancies
Richard Webb, corporate director for health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, said:
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