A ROSYTH man has called for improvements in home care services after three no-shows this month meant his wife was left all day without her vital support.

After Pamela Cunningham, 46, suffered a stroke two years ago, her and husband Alan have been reliant on carers who visit twice a day to help her with meals and get her washed and dressed.

However, on one occasion this month, no-one attended in the morning while two lunchtime non-appearances meant she was left without a meal from 7.30am until Alan returned from work after 5pm.

The situation has got so bad that Alan, of Burnside Road, has had to install wifi cameras in the house so he can check on his wife while he is at work.

“When the care was first set up, they were supposed to get my wife out of bed, help her dress and give her a shower,” he told the Press. “Sometimes, it was quarter to ten before they were turning up and my wife would be lying awake from seven waiting on them.

“We changed that so I get her out of bed when I am going to work. What we do now regardless is my wife gets up in the morning and I see to her and when the carer comes, she gives her a shower and helps her put clothes on.

"Every time it has happened, it is not the lassie’s fault. I phoned the care provider but there is never an answer. It takes two hours to get through to them.

“The man from the Care Commission was here investigating two no-shows and my complaint is getting upheld because they had no option to say it was their fault and then they do the same thing on Tuesday.

“They have left my wife with no lunch. She could have put herself in danger. She tried to make a ready meal in the microwave but she must have had second thoughts.

“She had a stroke two years ago and has lost her speech, her right arm is gone and her right leg is not the best either. I am out working.

"I work five days and it is getting to the stage now that I am feared to go to my work. I have had to put wifi cameras in the house so I can monitor the two places she has most chance of having an accident.”

Mr Cunningham has asked the council for a review of Pamela’s care package in the hope they will be able to switch from the current care company, Avenue Care Services, who, he says, have promised him that steps will be taken to improve their service.

“What they have said they have done is they have sent people away for training so they can put a system in which monitors when they go into my house and when they leave so they will see straight away when carers haven’t turned up and they are saying that will be in the next three to four weeks,” he added.

“So even if it is getting sorted for us, there are hundreds of people are getting care from this company and I am not going to back down. It is shocking what they have been doing.”

Fife Council service manager, quality assurance, Alan Adamson, said they had been in contact with Mr Cunningham to discuss the matter and a care package review.

“The care of service users is paramount and I reassure that we are taking this extremely seriously,” he said.

“We are in discussion with Avenue Care about what has gone wrong in this instance.”