Dunbar plans ‘not about patient care’
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PLANS to close the inpatient beds at the Dunbar Hospital and reduce the opening hours at the minor injuries unit have been branded “a cost-cutting exercise”.
Speaking at a meeting of the Castletown and District Community Council on Thursday night, John Crowden maintained the controversial proposals are about saving money. “They are not about patient care,” he said.
Mr Crowden claimed there is little support for the plans from the public or local GPs and said people may have to fight for the threatened services at Thurso’s Dunbar in the same way as they did for the maternity unit at Caithness General Hospital.
He pointed out that under the recommendations palliative care would be provided at the Town and County Hospital in Wick while the Dunbar would become a centre for long-term conditions and accommodate all community services.
Although Mr Crowden supported efforts to try and give people treatment at home and prevent them from having to go to hospital, he opposed the plan put forward by local health chiefs.
“Some people can’t stay at home and need care. Are they going to be abandoned. The number of older people requiring care is going to increase and yet it is proposed that we shut this facility,” he stated.
Mr Crowden said the 12 inpatient beds would be lost, there would be reduced cover at the minor injuries unit and a greater strain placed on the local ambulance service if more patients have to be transferred to hospital in Wick.
He criticised the lack of consultation on the plans and said he was unaware of any doctors who support them.
“I don’t know of one who has agreed with management that this will provide a better quality of healthcare,” said Mr Crowden, who acknowledged that the North Highland Community Health Partnership has put its proposals on hold until it looks again at some of the key issues. “I hope there is a public meeting on this and it addresses the issues and listens to our concerns. There has to be a compromise somewhere along the line because these proposals are not the way forward,” he added.
Chairman Doug Fraser agreed and felt the plans would “not provide a better service” for the public.
He said there would be a greater burden on the ambulance service and was unhappy about the impact the loss of beds and reduced hours at the minor injuries unit would have on the area.
Community council secretary Elizabeth Geddes was also unhappy with the proposed changes.
“Don’t be ill. That seems to be the message,” she said.
Members agreed to express their concerns to the health authority and to write to local MSPs in the Highlands and Islands on the issue. They will also try to get NHS Highland’s locality general manager, Pauline Craw, to attend a future meeting to talk about the plans.
Health officials have stressed that the inpatient service at the Dunbar is under-utilised and have claimed activity at the minor injuries unit is “considerably reduced” between 8pm and 8am.
They have also stated that changes have to be made because of local demographic changes, the demands on the service and the current financial circumstances.
As previously reported, the controversial plans have been deferred to address local concerns.
Members decided to look again at five issues – the vision for the Dunbar, the provision of palliative care in Thurso, the opening hours at the minor injuries unit, transport and the impact on staff.
Speaking after last month’s CHP meeting, Mrs Craw said: “If by deferring the plans we get things right and make people more comfortable with them then I would prefer to do that.”
