Lies claim over Dunbar Hospital changes
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LOCAL health officials have been accused of telling lies at a meeting which discussed the future of the Dunbar Hospital in Thurso.
The claim was made by retired Caithness minister the Rev Ronnie Johnstone who also accused North Highland Community Health Partnership committee chairman Colin Punler of “hiding behind the rule book”.
However, Mr Punler and NHS Highland yesterday strongly rejected the allegations.
The former Thurso West minister hit out at Monday night’s meeting of the Thurso and Wick Trade Union Council.
He said lies were told at last month’s CHP meeting when it was stated that no doctors turned up at consultation meetings on controversial proposals to close inpatient beds at the Dunbar and reduce the hours of the minor injuries unit.
Mr Johnstone said several GPs had attended and pointed out that two argued vociferously against the plan.
“For an official to say that is nothing short of outrageous,” said Mr Johnstone, who claimed the GPs were “anything but content” with the planned changes.
He also accused CHP chairman Colin Punler of “hiding behind the rule book” by not letting members of the public speak at the meeting.
“It is very sad when that happens and usually means the argument has been lost and they are afraid of the truth coming out,” he said.
Trade union council chairman Derrick Milnes was also unhappy with the way the meeting was conducted and described it as “a bit of a fiasco”. He said unsuccessful attempts were made to try and get a representative to speak.
Mr Milnes was critical of Mr Punler’s attitude to Thurso GP Dr Craig Loughhead who tried to speak at the CHP meeting.
“He was shot down for opening his mouth,” said Mr Milnes.
Yesterday, Mr Punler and Sheena Macleod, the CHP general manager, responded to the criticism.
Mrs Macleod said: “I have checked the draft minutes of the CHP committee meeting and have not found any specific comments relating to the alleged statement about GP involvement in the West Caithness redesign process. This would not have been said as some GPs attended most of the stakeholder and reference group meetings. There may have been mention that engagement with GPs had been difficult.”
She added: “It was confirmed that local GPs had been involved in the stakeholder and reference groups and that a meeting of the local GPs had been held at the start of the consultation period. Various views were expressed, some strongly supporting the retention of beds at the Dunbar and others stressing quality.”
Mr Punler said: “I’m certain the committee would have rejected this proposal immediately if any member thought for a minute there had been no involvement with GPs in its development. Indeed, it would be a failure of our duty of governance to the NHS not to have done so, so I do not understand where this impression has come from. The involvement of GPs was reported on several occasions.”
On his handling of the meeting he said certain procedures had to be followed.
“If that was not the case the meetings would become unmanageable and a free-for-all,” said Mr Punler, who stressed that the CHP meeting was “held in public but was not a public meeting”.
He told the Caithness Courier: “People were given an opportunity to speak at the end of the meeting but did not take it. That was their choice.
“I don’t know of any public body where discussions are open to anybody to take part as they see fit.”
Mr Punler pointed out that the committee has representatives from the local authority and the patients’ network on it.
“We are quite happy for people to give evidence to us so long as it is in a planned way. If we had received a request prior to the meeting we would have been happy to arrange that,” he continued.
Mr Punler did not anticipate any difficulties in allowing the public to speak at a meeting to reconsider the plans if a request is made. “I don’t see any problems in making that happen,” he added.
As previously reported, a decision on the proposed changes was deferred to allow management to address five key issues raised by members. They are – the vision for the Dunbar, palliative care in Thurso, the opening hours for the minor injuries unit, transport and the impact on staff.
