Ward closure fears acknowledged by NHS chief
Older people are becoming "frightened" by ward closures and a move to more community care, a Tayside health chief has admitted.
Royal Victoria Hospital.
- By Marjory Inglis, health reporter
- Published in the Courier : 02.09.10
- Published online : 02.09.10 @ 05.44pm
NHS Tayside's deputy chief executive Gerry Marr said he and his colleagues need to get better at communicating with older people and help them to understand the fundamental changes that are happening to the way they are looked after when they fall ill or are coping with long-term conditions.
At the health authority's annual review in Bell's Sports Centre, Perth, on Tuesday he insisted changes to older people's services were improvements, not just cost-saving measures.
In recent weeks NHS Tayside has closed a ward for elderly people at Royal Victoria Hospital in Dundee and announced a relocation of elderly beds at Ninewells Hospital.
In addition it announced the merger of two wards at Ashludie Hospital in Monifieth, then withdrew that plan — saying both wards would remain open until suitable alternative accommodation could be found for the patients.
"We are not getting our message across," said Mr Marr, who has previously stated he believes changes to services are an improvement and would go ahead even if there was no budget squeeze.
"Older people are, in my view, becoming frightened at the notion of a shift in the way care is delivered. Particularly they fear that a reduction in the number of beds is a diminution of service.
"We have got a responsibility to say to them we believe what we are trying to do is better care, not cheaper care, because it will maintain their functionality for a longer time."
Independence
In essence, those redesigning care of the elderly services are looking to give older people the support they need to stay at home, keep their independence and reduce or even prevent admissions to hospital.
Mr Marr said he and colleagues plan to have what he described as "a very fundamental conversation" when they hope to begin talking to older people in a very practical way about what the changes in services will mean.
"This is not some kind of loss of services, rather an enhancement of services," he added.
But he is mindful of the fact that older people remain to be convinced of the benefits of the new ways of delivering services.
"Older people are telling us they are not confident in what they are hearing," Mr Marr said.
Scottish minister for public health Shona Robison said when older people were questioned they said they wanted to remain in their own homes as long as possible and avoid admission to hospital if they possibly could. However, she knew from meetings and correspondence over the Royal Victoria ward closure that they don't like to see a reduction in hospital beds.
11.39pm - 22.10.2010 jonh smith - conisborough, england Report This
beech ward tickhill road hospital doncaster due to close a.s.a.p 30 beds
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