Amputee’s anger at bungalow snub (From Bournemouth Echo)

Amputee’s anger at bungalow snub

7:00pm Monday 15th March 2010 in

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A MAN who has had both legs amputated and is living in hospital cannot get onto Bournemouth council’s priority list for a bungalow.

Stewart McIntyre, 53, rents a second floor flat in New Milton but, because his legs were amputated above the knee nine weeks ago, would be unable to climb the stairs. Instead he is taking up a bed in the Prince of Wales renal unit in Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester.

The former fork lift truck driver suffered kidney failure and had to go onto haemo-dialysis at Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Diabetes led to gangrene and to a partial foot amputation 10 months ago. A severe reaction led to the latest amputations and a heart condition prevents him going on the kidney transplant list.

I’m effectively homeless. The only reason I’m here is I can’t use stairs

Stewart McIntyre

He said: “I’m in a bed here and there’re people who need dialysis and I’m taking up their bed.

“I’m effectively homeless. I’m quite fit to get in a wheelchair and move about. The only reason I’m here is that I can’t move up and down stairs.”

He has joined Bournemouth council’s housing list because he will need dialysis three times weekly at Royal Bournemouth when discharged. “Bournemouth council will not put me on the medical priority list.

“How ill do you have to be to be considered a medical priority?” he said.

“We’ve put in for a bungalow. You’ve got to bid for them and there were 160-odd bids for one bungalow. I put the question to them: ‘Of that 160, how many are above-the-knee amputees?’ “They would not give me that information, but I doubt if there are that many.”

Lorraine Mealings, Bournemouth council’s strategic housing services manager said: “We recognise Mr McIntyre has a high housing need and we understand the urgency for this to be resolved.”

She claimed New Forest District Council had “a duty of care to resolve the immediate urgency of finding him suitable accommodation for when he is to be discharged from hospital”.

Meanwhile the search is on for a rehabilitation placement.

A New Forest District Council spokesman said the only correspondence housing officers had with Mr McIntyre is that he wished to be taken off their list.

“They are not aware he is in hospital. If he wants to live in Bournemouth or Christchurch then it is with one of those councils he will have to make contact.”