My latest podcast episode is about an extraordinary email that a senior health professional leaked to me.
The email says that a Hackney council officer told health and medical staff to stop writing supporting letters for families who need to be moved out of terrible housing – that’s families with disabled children.
The email was circulated in this consultant’s NHS workplace.
This is outrageous. Families want and NEED these supporting letters to give to the council. The letters are medical evidence that a child’s health issues and disabilities are made worse by their awful housing. They prove that the family must be moved. Some of these letters say that disabled children are at risk of death in their homes.
But this email tells NHS staff to stop writing them.
The email is full of other rubbish. It says that families of disabled children can find a place to rent in the private sector in one month – implication being that they don’t need to get on the council housing waiting list or ask for a transfer somewhere better. A month for low income families to find a place to rent in the private sector? That’s just fantasy. We might even call that a lie.
The email also says that the council has a robust system in place “to identify need and allocate housing.”
That’s rubbish. There are families in the podcast who have letters and reports which say that their disabled children are at high risk of death because of the state of their current housing – but they still haven’t been moved.
So. I have a few theories on why a council might want to shut medical staff up on the topic of potential council failures to keep disabled children safe.
Housing support letters would not be necessary if the council was doing its job. Their mere existence tells its own dark story. We seem to be drawing ever closer to Hitlers ‘Final Solution’ for poor, sick and disabled people. The difference being that Hitler was more honest.
## Leaked Email Reveals Disturbing Housing Support Controversy
### Key Findings
Hackney Council has instructed NHS staff to stop writing support letters for families with disabled children who need rehousing
### Critical Details
– The leaked email was circulated among NHS health professionals
– The council claims families can find private rental housing within one month
– Support letters typically provide medical evidence that current housing conditions are harming disabled children
### Implications
The email suggests several deeply problematic claims:
1. Families can easily find private rentals in just one month (which is considered unrealistic)
2. The council believes it has a “robust system” for housing allocation
3. Medical professionals are being prevented from documenting critical housing risks
### Context of Concern
Some of the support letters have highlighted extreme housing conditions, including situations where disabled children are at risk of death due to housing conditions
### Broader Perspective
This incident appears to be part of a larger pattern of reducing support for vulnerable families, particularly those with disabled children
## Investigative Background
The story comes from journalist Kate Belgrave, who has been documenting public sector cuts and housing challenges. Her podcast and blog have been tracking these issues, highlighting the increasing difficulties faced by families with disabled children in accessing appropriate housing and support.
The leaked email represents a significant escalation in bureaucratic obstacles, potentially putting vulnerable children at greater risk by preventing medical professionals from documenting their housing needs.
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