A distraught cancer patient fears he will be left to die in hospital – because a countrywide shortage of council houses has left him with no home to go to.
Terminally ill Alan Mackie and his wife Frances are pleading with the local authorities in Moray and Aberdeenshire to fulfil his dying wish and allow him to spend his final days in peace.
The former council worker was diagnosed with aggressive Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in the stomach in February following a long illness and has also developed a large tumour.
He is currently in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and says he has been given just weeks to live.
The couple had been staying in a privately-rented flat in Inverurie, but Mr Mackie can no longer crawl up stairs to get to it and their landlord has put the property up for sale.
They have been on the waiting list for a ground floor council home in Moray or Aberdeenshire since the beginning of last year, but have now been served with an eviction notice and say time is running out.
Both local authorities sympathised with the couple’s plight yesterday – but said the shortage of suitable properties meant there was little they could do to help.
Mrs Mackie, who is originally from Lossiemouth, said: “Alan’s health is not good.
“He can’t get up the stairs, so he has to crawl.
“I’m on a lot of medication myself for my own health problems.
“His wish is to come to spend some quality time with everyone, but that is currently impossible for him due to the stairs and bathroom.
“We need a house for Alan to come home to die.”
Mr Mackie, who worked for Aberdeenshire Council for 33 years, was forced to go onto benefits after his cancer was diagnosed.
The couple’s current landlord has issued them with an eviction notice for September 30.
She added: “Aberdeenshire council said to widen our choices but what they don’t seem to understand is I need a house either in Inverurie, Ellon or Elgin to be near Alan’s family or my family who can help me and give me support.
“Due to Alan having to go on benefits most people won’t rent privately to DHSS, so we cant even rent until Alan’s final days are up.”
A Moray council spokesman said: “This particular housing application was made in March of last year, but it is only within the last few weeks that we received a medical assessment which has drastically increased the number of points to which they are entitled.
“Consequently, they are very well placed in terms of their position on the waiting list.
“Unfortunately, it is difficult to predict when a suitable property might become available in the areas which they have stated as their preferences in terms of where they would like to be housed.”
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: “While we can’t comment on individual cases, we certainly encourage housing applicants to consider as broad a geographical area as possible given the huge demand for housing in Aberdeenshire.
“All applications are assessed according to housing need and awarded a priority to reflect their urgency to be re-housed. Unfortunately, there are far more very urgent and high priority applicants than there are properties available”