Plans to close a Dundee disability care centre and move patients to Perth is “long overdue”, health chiefs say.
NHS Tayside confirmed earlier this month that Strathmartine Centre’s Inpatient Learning Disability Services are to be re-located to the Murray Royal Hospital in Perth.
The health board says the premises are no longer fit for purpose.
The move, which includes an inpatient ward within Carseview, is planned to take place in a year’s time.
This means relatives and staff would have to travel to the Murray Royal – 23 miles away from the current centre.
‘We need to do our best in the circumstances’
However, during a NHS Tayside Board meeting on Thursday, health chiefs said the facilities at Strathmartine were no longer fit for purpose.
“(The move) is long overdue”, Dr Andrew Thomson said.
“The view of the area clinical forum is that we very much support this.
“The lack of suitability at Strathmartine was being talked about when I was a medical student here and that’s 13 years ago.”
Board member Julie Bell, who is also a councillor in Angus, added: “It would have been my preference to see something happen before now but this is the position we are in.
“People deserve a better living environment and it would have been lovely to have an equivalent environment in the area (but) that is not currently feasible.
“So, we need to do the best that we can in the circumstances we are in.
“I absolutely get that this is a challenging situation for staff, patients and their families and it will create access challenges for people visiting their loved ones.
“However, I very much hope that when people are in their new site they will find it a pleasant and happy living environment where they will have opportunities to thrive.”
Unions oppose Dundee disability centre move
In a letter addressed to health chiefs, they said staff believe the move was unsuitable for patients.
And speaking at Thursday’s meeting, trade union representative Raymond Marshall added: “The thing we have tried to highlight is that even though the staff would like to move with their patients, there is a high risk they may not be able to.
“The staff’s first concern was about patients and the delivery of care to the patients they support.”
Better environment for patients
Health board bosses acknowledged the concerns raised regarding the move but said it was the best decision for patients.
Sandra Macleod, deputy chief executive at NHS Tayside, added: “We understand the difficulties in making this decision.
“(And) we absolutely understand the impact that this is having on patients, families and staff.
“But our driving factor on this is about delivering a better therapeutic environment for patents and they are all at the heart of our decision-making here.”
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