A former Perth councillor claims members of a health body are making a “rod to break their back” by not consulting the public on controversial proposals which include closing beds for acute psychiatric patients.
Joan McEwen, who is now a carer, said she does not understand why the Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership have not made more carers and people involved with mental health issues aware of their plans.
NHS Tayside is undertaking a review of adult mental health and learning disability inpatient services, with its programme team gathering clinical, workforce and financial information regarding four options before making a decision.
However, Ms McEwen, a former Labour councillor in Perth, feels there has been a “general lack of engagement” by NHS Tayside in letting the public of Perth and Kinross know about the whole process.
“By holding a three-month consultation after they have decided on their preferred option, the partnership will raise the ire of many Perth and Kinross carers,” she said.
“I’m looking at these options as a carer myself and have been approached by many carers in Perth and Kinross who don’t know all the details concerned. They are very anxious we will end up losing all the beds for acute psychiatric patients at Murray Royal Hospital in Perth.
“Should the public not be made aware of the options being considered by the Perth and Kinross Social Care Partnership?
She continued: “Part of the problem is there is a huge rural hinterland in Perth and Kinross and we don’t want carers faced with an extra 30-mile journey if the facility at Murray Royal Hospital is closed.
“When Perth and Kinross Council was formed, many people fought long and hard for the facility at Murray Royal Hospital. The public were engaged with this move so why not engage more with them now?
“To me it makes no sense to decide on a preferred option and then hold a three-month consultation period afterwards – it’s not rational and I don’t understand it.”
However, Rob Packham, chief officer for Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership, said there had been a “wide range” of stakeholder and staff engagement throughout the course of the two-year mental health redesign project.
“Engagement events were held last summer to complete the next stage of the redesign project,” he said.
“The purpose of the events was to identify and develop options to provide general adult psychiatry (GAP) inpatient services on two sites in Tayside and consider options for future learning disability inpatient services as requested by Tayside NHS Board.
“Stakeholders from Angus, Dundee and Perth and Kinross were invited to the workshops and each event was attended by around 90 people, including service users, carers, voluntary, third sector and partner organisations, as well as doctors, nurses, psychologists and support staff from NHS Tayside along with the Social Care Partnerships.”
Mr Packham said the programme team is still deciding on a preferred option.
This will be presented to NHS Tayside and Health and Social Care Partnership boards by March to seek agreement for a three-month period of wider stakeholder consultation.
In a separate matter, NHS Tayside has already decided to move the crisis response service at Murray Royal Hospital to Carseview from February 1.
Article originally published by The Courier
