Cuts to beds and staff at a Dundee respite centre for severely disabled children are to be reversed following crunch talks between parents and MSPs.
The Glenlaw Parent and Carer group held the “last resort” meeting, attended by Shona Robinson, Jenny Marra and various health representatives last week.
Glenlaw House, based at Kings Cross Hospital, provides overnight care for children aged up to 18 with profound learning disabilities and had seen the number of beds reduced over the past five years.
The centre has also had difficulties with recruiting staff, according to NHS Tayside.
However, changes are to be made to the facility’s operating model, which is expected to ease the problems experienced.
Allan Petrie, a carer for three children and chairman of the parents’ campaign group, said: “We were hoping for a larger turnout of MSPs but the ones who did come were fully supportive.
“NHS Tayside had a meeting with the Care Inspectorate, which agreed to relax the rules over the staff to bed ratio.
“Different children require different levels of care so it’s not always necessarily about numbers.
“This means that they will be able to reinstate the two beds that had been axed.
“The aim is to eventually have five beds and one emergency bed, as opposed to the two we have now.
“NHS Tayside has promised us that they will work closely with us and will schedule meetings with us.”
There is also said to be a recruitment process going on to employ two more members of staff, which is expected to happen in the next few months.
North East MSP Jenny Marra said: “It is good news that Glenlaw House will soon have four beds available again at all times.
“But Glenlaw House used to have five full time beds so there has still been a cut.
“Given that the need for respite care is growing, I would encourage NHS Tayside to get Glenlaw House back to full capacity as soon as possible.”
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said, “It is our aim to have four operational respite beds available at Glenlaw House, provided that this can be staffed safely.
“The senior charge nurse and her team will ensure that staffing levels and skill mix is correct in order to maintain the safety of the children, taking all their needs into account.”
