A disabled woman who is registered blind and relies on a wheelchair said she feels trapped in her home because there have been no ramps fitted. Claire Wood moved into the Places for People owned property in July 2024 but claimed she has been waiting over a year for basic adaptations to be made to her home.
This come after remaining in hospital for two years after she was medically fit for discharge. Despite signing the rental agreement for the property in Hartcliffe in June 2023, it wasn’t until May of this year that the flooring was completed.
Claire, whose health was deteriorating while she remained in hospital, was finally discharged in July 2024 despite her feeling unsafe to move into a property that was not yet fully adapted for a wheelchair-user.
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While there are currently temporary ramps inside the property she can only use them when she has a carer or visitor because she is not able to line them up to the door independently. “I’m just stuck here and instead of rotting in the hospital I’m rotting in the house, which is marginally better but I still can’t get on with my life,” explained Claire, who cannot even access her garden without support.
Claire said she had expected Places for People to flatten the driveway in preparation for the ramps to be fitted in September. However, she said the appointment was cancelled and has not been rescheduled, having not heard anything from Bristol City Council – who is responsible for installing ramps in the front and back of the house.
“I’m not asking for anything unreasonable, I’m not asking for a swimming pool or horse stables in my garden, I’m just asking for what I need and what I’m entitled to,” she added. Claire – who has chronic fatigue syndrome and functional neurological disorder – said she has access to the outdoors listed as part of her pain management plan, but that without ramps she is stuck indoors most of the time.
Claire was told by Sirona Care and Health and Bristol City Council in July that she could be safely discharged despite her inability to independently evacuate the property in the event of a fire. Government guidance on evacuation plans for disabled people states: “such an evacuation plan should not rely upon the intervention of the Fire and Rescue Service to make it work.”
Claire’s advocate Alex raised concerns about the discharge back plan in the summer, writing in an email: “I’m very concerned that you are proposing a plan for Claire Wood that is unsafe, unlawful and not taking your responsibility as representatives of a public body seriously.”
After spending almost three years in hospital in total and now being mostly stuck inside her house, Claire said she feels like the lockdown never ended for her. The 34-year-old feels she has lost several years of her life, adding she looks forward to being able to volunteer with guinea pigs at Hartcliffe City Farm and enjoying a board game night down her local pub.
“When I was in hospital I had to be so strong even to the point of having people tarnish my name- they would say that I was bed blocking and I was being difficult but I was just trying to get what I needed. Even now I still haven’t got what I needed,” explained Claire, who felt pressured to leave the hospital by Sirona care and Bristol City Council in July.
Bristol City Council and Places for People have been approached for a comment.