Quadruple amputee with no hands and legs has to battle with Milton Keynes social services about home care

Kim Smith, 58, is unable to move herself at all outside of her wheelchair and cannot even pick up a hot drink herself.

Yet she has been allocated 3.25 hours a day of care to cover all her needs.

"The carers come three times a day for short periods. It's just about enough to get me up and dressed in the mornings and back to bed at night, with a quick lunch visit between," said Kim.

"The rest of the time I feel like a prisoner in my own home. I can't do anything unless my husband helps. i'm going stir crazy,"

Kim, a qualified hairdresser, ran her own successful wedding planning business before falling critically ill with sepsis two years ago.

She spent nine weeks in a coma, after which doctors told her they had to amputate both legs and hands to save her life.

Kim and her family have raised enough funds to buy one 'bionic' prosthetic hand and are saving to buy another. But even this will not solve the problem of mobility.

"I can't even turn myself in bed. My husband has to wake up and turn me every two hours. He gave up work to look after me but it's exhausting. He badly needs a break and it's putting a strain on our marriage," said Kim, who lives on Walnut Tree,

She has been allocated seven hours a week of 'sitting' care each week, but would ideally like more.

"I have repeatedly asked social services for more care hours so I can get out and about more and my husband can have more of a rest. But they just keep refusing.

"I don't understand how they can refuse. Am I not disabled enough? I wouldn't have thought you could get much more disabled than a quadruple amputee.."

The Citizen asked MK Council why Kim had been allocate so few hours.

A spokesman replied: "We’re in regular contact with the people we support and frequently assess the levels of care and assistance we provide. Our last Adult Social Care Assessment took place at the end of last year while a review of assistive technology and equipment was completed on 17 February. We’re in touch with Mrs Smith and are working with her to offer the support she needs.”