“We seem short of dieticians in this area as they seem to come and go and don’t stay when I have spoken to one they are very good and give me enough time, don’t rush me but I wasn’t able to see the dietician face to face for her to weigh me and I do think I have lost weight.”   

Mary has Coeliac disease, Osteoporosis, and Arthritis. She cannot eat anything that isn’t milk or gluten-free and struggled to get essentials at the beginning of the pandemic as ‘regular shoppers’ were buying the milk, flour, and bread that was specific for people with her dietary needs.  

As shelves were empty and food in short supply, she tried stocking up as much as possible but only had a small freezer. Mary doesn’t have transport of her own and sometimes struggles to get on the Access bus as this is often booked up. She has to take two buses to go to the store that sells the milk that is suitable for her. She would have liked access to see a specialist at a Coeliac clinic at a hospital so they could give advice, weigh her and support her during this time. “As far as I am aware there is no outpatient specialist or hospital clinic in Kirklees.”  

Since the pandemic she hasn’t been able to see a dietician face to face or be weighed and doesn’t know when she will be able to go back to seeing them in person, “it’s been phone calls only”,  “we seem short of dieticians in this area as they seem to come and go and don’t stay when I have spoken to one they are very good and give me enough time, don’t rush me but I wasn’t able to see the dietician face to face for her to weigh me and I do think I have lost weight.”  Seeing a dietician face to face has other benefits for Mary too as previously she was given samples of any new puddings or drinks to try.  

Mary is entitled to a few free hours a week but felt that during lockdown it would have been helpful if she had been given additional free hours with a carer who had access to a car and who could help with isolation, personal care, jobs around the home and shopping as friends and family were unable to visit. 

Mary kept in touch with Healthwatch Kirklees and she kindly let us know that she has attended her GP practice and had her weight checked, she is pleased to report she has not lost weight as originally feared.