Stratheden Hospital's Drumcarrow Lodge ward to close
A ward catering for elderly people at a psychiatric hospital in Fife is to close following a wide-ranging review.
- Published in the Courier : 17.10.11
- Published online : 17.10.11 @ 06.15pm
A total of eight beds will be taken out of the region's health system as a result of the decision by NHS Fife to shut the Drumcarrow Lodge ward at Stratheden Hospital near Cupar by the end of this month.
A review found the Drumcarrow Lodge building no longer fit for purpose. With the recent opening of the Muirview ward on the Stratheden site, health chiefs believe the service can be delivered from just one ward.
However, the closure is likely to spark renewed fears from campaigners about the number of beds being taken out of hospitals across Fife.
Bob McLean, general manager for mental health services in Fife, said the single ward plan for Stratheden was tested last winter, when the two wards were merged for six weeks to reduce staffing pressures during the severe weather, and had no negative impact on service delivery.
''The proposal has arisen from discussion with the consultant psychiatrists concerned,'' he said. ''They recognise the inefficiencies of the current arrangement, and welcome and support the opportunity the proposal provides to further enhance the community teams and continue the shift in the balance of care provision.
''They endorse the proposal.''
Mr McLean said the plan has been discussed with staff representatives at the Community Health Partnership Local Partnership Forum, who ''raised no objections and were reassured that no job losses will occur.
Drumcarrow Lodge is housed in the former family unit of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service. NHS Fife's review has ruled the building no longer meets its ''desired standards'' and has maintenance problems, particularly relating to damp.
As it is at the southern end of the site, it is also deemed to be ''quite isolated'' from the rest of the hospital.
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