Faulty intercom sees MS patients miss out on ‘vital’ medication
Aris Giourgas has missed medication deliveries because of the faulty intercom Picture: Nathan Louis - Credit: Archant
Residents in a block of flats in Maida Vale are missing vital medication deliveries because of a broken intercom system.
This sign was put up nine weeks after the intercom system broke, according to residents Picture: Nathan Louis - Credit: Archant
People living inside Falkirk House, close to the Tube station, say the system has been out of action for almost three months. Despite a number of complaints being made, CityWest Homes, who manage the block, have yet to fix the system.
If the intercom is in working order, visitors are able to buzz the flat they are looking for and the occupant is then able to press a button which unlocks the entrance doors.
Aris Giourgas, 45, who has had multiple sclerosis (MS) for 25 years, along with his partner, has been unable to receive prescription medicines because of the broken system. His symptoms include fatigue, blurred vision, and mobility issues, and it is vital that he recieves his medication on time.
His partner, Jackie Mullane, 43, has missed deliveries of Rebif, which reduces her MS from progressing, and is dropped off three times a week.
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Young children are also being left on the doorstep, waiting to be let in. Fob keys are limited to three people per flat.
CityWest Homes apologised for the inconvenience and will now offer “additional support” to vulnerable residents following complaints made to the Wood&Vale.
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Resident George Allawi says the “situation has become a bit of a joke” and even wants to go as far as to start a petition.
“If there was any kind of emergency the emergency services would struggle to get in because the buzzers are not working,” he said.
He referred to a recent incident when an elderly resident suffered breathing problems one night. He claimed the ambulance service arrived and were only able to gain access because a neighbour woke and heard them trying to enter. Some of the flats are council owned but some are privately owned.
Robert King-Brown, 60, is a leaseholder of his flat. He says that he expects to “enjoy a prompt response to complaints and concerns.”
Jim Patterson, director of property services for CityWest Homes, said: “We will shortly be contacting residents with proposals to replace the intercom system, which was installed by the previous tenant management organisation.
“We apologise for the inconvenience this has caused and will contact vulnerable residents to offer additional support.”