Scots pensioner left 'unable to wash for months' after bath chair broke

Lillian Briggs, 89, has been in 'absolute hell' amid a row with the council over whether she is eligible for a replacement chair.

A Scots pensioner has been left in "absolute hell" and "unable to wash herself for months" in a row with her local council after her bath chair broke. Lillian Briggs, 89, told her children that the device was broken back in April.

Since then, her daughter, Christine Burtt, has been back and forward with the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership - who provide care for Lillian. Christine, 67, said the family has been waiting months for an occupational therapist to examine Lillian in her Saughton home and determine whether she is eligible for a new chair.

It isn't the first time Lillian has been "let down" by the healthcare system, after waiting eight hours for an ambulance following a fall in 2021. Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Christine said: "After mum fell a few years ago, she broke her hip. She waited eight hours for an ambulance that day.

"Now, she has carers who come in every day. In April, her electric bath chair broke. Since then, she hasn’t had a bath or a shower. She has Parkinson’s, and she’s had heart attacks.”

Christine, who operates a successful antique and vintage store named Aquarius, has also been pushing for her mother to acquire a ramp for the property, but was told that Lillian isn't eligible.

She continued: "Mum’s mental health isn’t good. Neither is mine. She's been on the waiting list for a new chair since April now. It’s just not good enough. Mum said to me ‘the lassie broke the chair’, so we think it was one of the carers who came to see her.

"It’s been absolute hell for the last few years. It’s just not on. I’ve been incensed with rage. My daughter is an occupational therapist and she feels her granny is eligible. We just need the help."

After months without bathing, Christine got tired of waiting and decided to buy a new bath chair herself. She was then informed that she would need to wait for someone to come out and install it.

Unfortunately, concerns over her mother are nothing new for Christine. She continued: "Back in 2021, I phoned mum and she didn't answer. I drove round and she was lying on the floor.

"I phoned the ambulance about nine times, it was around 1pm when I got there and it was around 8.45pm when the ambulance arrived."

Lillian’s son Robert Ewing spoke to the Daily Record at the time, after she was left lying in agony on a hard floor. She suffered a double fracture to her hip, and was trapped in such an awkward position her family were unable to move her in fear of causing her more harm.

At the time, Robert raged: "It is inhumane to leave someone lying like that. You wouldn’t do it to a dog. Something has got to be done." All Robert and Christine could do was cover her with a blanket and cushion her head. Lillian was in hospital for 12 weeks following the incident.

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After Lillian's fall in 2021, A Scottish Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “While we are limited in what we can say due to patient confidentiality, we are very sorry for the delay in reaching Mrs Briggs after her fall, and we hope that she is recovering after surgery.

"We are currently experiencing extreme pressure due to hospitals operating at, or near, full capacity and staff abstractions."

Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership has been approached for comment.

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