Unfortunately, I have gradually become more and more disabled over the years. I had struggled on working, doing the carpentry work that I enjoyed and I made lots of good friends.

Now, several years after reluctantly having to give up my work, I find myself in the hands of the council, social services and care agencies.

When Herefordshire Council themselves had their own carers to look after the likes of people like me, I found them to be of a very good standard. Since Government policy told councils across the country to stop doing care services in favour of private agencies, I, for one have seen a tremendous lowering of standards.

I have been through several different care agencies over the years, and most all of them seem to be OK for the first few weeks, but then the same things happen over and over again.

Most of the actual carers are lovely hardworking people, but it's always the people in the offices and social services where things go amiss. The term "managers" I believe, is too loosely used these days, and mere youngsters who haven't long left school, are given titles of being managers of this and managers of that etc. It's so crazy.

It's the arrogant way that these office people talk to us clients and tell us what we've got to do, to make their lists and call-times work for them, that upsets most of us, and if we are annoyed, and try telling them that it's not going to be any good, then we are accused of being abusive towards them.

The big problem is, though, that the social services/council, always back up the care agency. As far as the council etc are concerned, They don't worry about putting clients in care homes, and they do.

It's better financially for one's council to put clients in care homes, because the money for looking after them in there comes from different sources.

One of the biggest moans from myself and most other clients, as well as from carers themselves, is the fact that the office people of these care agencies seem to believe, that it's simply OK to send in lots and lots of different people to do our care.

Where on earth has that come from? One agency that I had for three months only, sent me 33 different people. I nearly purchased a parrot so as to tell each different person what to do.

Each care agency seems to have too many office staff, who don't really know what they are actually doing, then get upset when clients like myself try to put them right.

Don't mention "rotas". Every week, they are different. It's listings that they do, that get changed daily, and most office people don't seem able to work out proper rotas. What they actually do, is very much like pulling raffle tickets out of a hat, to send carers to clients.

It would be so much simpler if each client was allocated six or eight carers only, but for reasons only known to themselves, they send in a multitude of carers, who simply don't know each client's routine.

I try to stick out for regular carers, but the agencies, backed up by the social services insist on sending strangers in to me and others. The amount of time that I am made to stay in bed is colossal and unhealthy, but again, the agencies and social services appear to be as thick as thieves. So there it is, what now.

One can see how and why atrocities happen, and caring in this country has got a lot to answer for, so too have the councils.

IVOR SKYRME

Sellack

Ross-on-Wye