A WIRRAL family fear their son is at greater risk of an epileptic attack because of “a massive failure” by Wirral Council to get a pool up and running.
A hydrotherapy pool at the Pensby Wood day centre in Somerset Road in the Wirral town was opened as part of a £1.2 million refurbishment of the centre in 2018 providing crucial hydrotherapy for people who have a range of disabilities. However the pool, run by Wirral Council’s Wirral Evolutions service, has faced a series of breakdowns and maintenance problems since 2019 and hasn’t been used at all since May 2024.
Kieran Toohey, 31, who has multiple learning and physical disabilities with associated medical conditions, used to use the pool and benefited from regular hydrotherapy sessions prior to the pool’s closure. While he still uses Pensby Wood’s other facilities, Kieran’s family said his health is now getting worse and a complaint to the council by his family reportedly went nowhere.
Dad Conrad, a nurse by background, said his son’s health was now suffering with his muscles wasting away quicker. Due to Kieran’s disabilities, he isn’t able to travel far by car meaning Pensby Wood is the family’s only option for his care that is prescribed and paid for.
Conrad said the staff were absolutely brilliant but “it feels as though Kieran and so many of Pensby Wood’s other users have just been forgotten,” adding: “Being in the water has such a positive effect for muscle health and all of his conditions. It also relieves his stress and pain, which in turn reduces the likelihood of epileptic attacks and reflux.
“Without the pool, Kieran is having to max out on his medication and is having to take additional adjunct meds. He cannot take any more muscle cramping medication and is now at greater risk of an epileptic seizure.”
Conrad said the family were only approaching the press after feeling they had exhausted all possible options, adding: “It feels almost as if the council is relying on us not to make a fuss because we are old and have health issues and we have less energy to fight our corner.”
Kieran is now more tired, less relaxed, and struggles to eat but when the pool was open, Conrad said “he was so relaxed and laid back and so happy.” He added: “It had such a positive effect on his mental health and on his muscles. He is missing out on that movement of his muscles.
“It's really sad and disappointing and I just feel Kieran’s quality of life would be so much better if he could have access to the pool he was promised.”
Pensby councillor Ann Ainsworth has written to the council’s Director of Adults, Health and Strategic Commissioning Sayyed Osman “to demand that action is taken immediately.” She is campaigning for a solution to be found while issues with the pool are sorted and wants other families to get in touch.
She told the LDRS she was extremely angry about the situation and surprised it had got to this point “with Wirral Council officers so far unable to give a clear explanation of when the problems will be fixed or a reliable timeline for reopening it.” She said a visit by former Pensby councillors in 2019 had raised issues about the pool and questioned why the issue wasn’t picked up at the time.
She said this had meant staff couldn’t provide people’s prescribed care because the facilities weren’t there, adding: “The council’s failure to get the pool running has meant that many users have now lost any chance of maintaining their mobility or slowing the progress of their medical conditions, causing them real pain and suffering.
“Many of those who would have been treated have degenerative conditions, so they will never be able to make up this lost time when the pool does reopen. In the meantime, their quality of life continues to be damaged immeasurably, with reduced mobility often also causing increased pain.
“Many users have multiple issues including learning impairments and are among the least able to get their case heard. It is outrageous that Wirral Council officers have failed to address their needs for five years.
“As well as demanding immediate action on repairs, I am also looking for an explanation of why this essential state-of-the-art therapy pool seems to have been left out of action with no end in sight. The management of this asset is down to the Council. It is a massive failure of care and is simply not good enough.”
She added: “It’s the people who are less able to speak themselves who are being left behind. It’s outrageous and where is the evidence the council is delivering on its duties?”
A Wirral Council spokesperson said: “While it is difficult for us to publicly disclose details of an individual’s care, we absolutely acknowledge that access to a hydrotherapy pool provides benefits for Kieran and others with similar support needs. While it isn’t true to suggest the pool at Pensby Wood has been out of operation for five years, we do acknowledge that due to technical and safety issues it has had to be taken out of use for periods of time since 2019 and hasn’t been able to be used at all since May 2024.”
The council said Kieran “continues to access and benefit from a package of other activities at the centre, adding: “Work to convert the pool’s dosing system to a salt-based system was completed in January 2025, but unfortunately a further issue around the ability to safely regulate the temperature of the pool was identified, which is still being investigated.
“While these ongoing issues are being addressed, we are continuing to seek alternative hydrotherapy provision nearby to enable those who would benefit from this specific activity to access it.”
