A VULNERABLE woman claims that she has been left living without hot water and heating for FIVE YEARS despite being known to health and social work professionals.

Alison Hatu, who has mental health problems, is living in a property in Port Glasgow which also has no working cooker and no bed, meaning she sleeps on the floor.

She relies on heating kettles and showering at a friend's or at the Waterfront Leisure Complex in Greenock.

The 60-year-old says she is also unable to make hot meals because she hasn't had a cooker for four months - and now her plight is increasingly desperate due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Alison, who receives support from the mental health team at Crown House, contacted the Tele because she believes she has not had the correct help she needs from the authorities.

She said: "I think it's negligence.

"They just don't care if you have a mental health issue.

"This has affected me really badly.

"I used to boil big soup pots of hot water to get a bath but my bath tub is broken and the wash hand basin is cracked."

Her friend Kirsty Cairns, who was once her former support worker, says Alison has been neglected by the authorities.

She said: "Alison has not had hot water or heating for almost five years.

"Crown House are fully aware of the situation.

"She kept calling me for help and I went out to the house.

"She was sleeping on a quilt in the back bedroom.

"It was terrible.

"When I left the house I was crying."

Kirsty says Alison has a problem with hoarding and the mental health team and Richmond Fellowship were offering her support but they have not been able to successfully address her difficulties.

Kirsty says she has demanded that Alison be given alternative accommodation during the coronavirus crisis as she is vulnerable.

She said: "Her toilet is cracked, her sink leaks, her shower isn't working, her bath leaks and her cooker broke four months ago.

"She has high blood pressure and asthma, she has a lot of physical health issues - she cannot get this Covid-19, she is high risk.

"I am now in isolation and she has nothing to cook on.

"It's disgusting the situation she is in.

"I've asked the mental health team to put her into temporary accommodation or hospital in the meantime but I've been told no.

"I've asked a senior social worker to get her on the list for a food parcel.

"He was off and it got passed to someone else but nothing was done.

"Alison called Crown House herself and they said she wasn't on the vulnerable list and gave her a number for Belville Community Garden.

"How could someone who received 15 hours a week of home care not be classed as a priority?

"I have helped her to declutter her house and put some things into storage for her which I am paying for.

"I have actually been in touch with Louise Long, the chief executive of the health and social care partnership, saying they have been negligent and still nothing has been done."

Alison added: "At least before all this I could have gone to a friend's house for a shower at the Waterfront.

"It's a terrible situation."

Inverclyde Health & Social Care Partnership said they were unable to comment on individual cases.

A spokesperson said: "The HSCP aims to work as collaboratively as possible with the people who use our services and we would not leave a vulnerable person without help or support.

“Individuals are encouraged to share concerns and queries with their care team directly to ensure these can be addressed in a timely and supportive manner.”