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This heartbreaking picture shows a seriously-ill man who was deemed not ill enough to qualify for free, full-time social care.

Barry Balderstone, 75, suffered from a range of medical conditions including ulcerative colitis, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, double incontinence and chronic kidney disease.

The image shows him on the day that he was refused full funding which would have paid for all of his care needs, reports CheshireLive.

The day after that decision was made, upheld at appeal following two applications, the 75-year-old died. He weighed just 7st (45kg).

The tragic case has prompted his heartbroken widow to ask: "How ill do you have to be to qualify?"

(Image: Google maps)

The 75-year-old lived at Mount Hall Care Home and qualified for £150 a week under the continuing healthcare scheme.

That figure only covered a small percentage of the costs of his care and meant that the couple's savings and pension pot were hit hard.

East Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said Barry was not eligible for full funding, which would have paid for all of his care needs.

Marilyn said the CCG twice turned down his bid for full funding.

The second time, Marilyn appealed, with a hearing held in July 2019.

She said she was told the appeal had failed on October 6 - the day the above picture of Barry was taken. He sadly died on October 7.

Health bosses say the decisions were made following ‘faithful’ application of nationally-set criteria.

(Image: MEN WS)

Although Marilyn, 73, says the photo was taken after her husband’s health had ‘gone downhill’, she says he was very ill for a long time.

She said: “That picture haunts me, but I took it as I thought they needed to know how ill he was, he looked so terrible.

"How ill do you have to be to qualify?

"The assessments are incredibly difficult, you have to score 'high' or 'severe', but you realise you are not going to get it.

"It’s very stressful and you come out of it absolutely wiped out. But I thought I had to do something.

"It seemed so unfair and he was getting worse and worse.

"There needs to be a more sympathetic attitude and more help for the family. If it [speaking out] helps anyone else in the same position then it will have been worth it."

Barry, a former civil engineer, went into a nursing home three years ago, initially Highfield House, on Park Lane, before switching to Mount Hall in April 2019.

A bid for full funding was turned down in 2017 and then again at a review in October 2018, which Marilyn appealed.

In the meantime the couple, who married in 1993, saw a ‘substantial part’ of their savings and pension disappear to foot the bill.

(Image: Google maps)

Marilyn says fighting the decision cost another £3,500 and that the assessment is designed to score people low so they do not qualify for full funding.

She added the family of patients need to be more involved in the decision process.

Karen Smith, associate director for NHS Continuing Healthcare Services, said: “We are sorry to learn of the patient’s death and we extend our thoughts to his family at this difficult time.

"However, we do not comment on the particulars of individual cases.

“The criteria for determining eligibility for Continuing Healthcare funding are set nationally by Department of Health and Social Security and applied faithfully by the Cheshire CCGs.

"Should the patient’s family wish to appeal the funding decision, the CCG will support them through the process.