Scotland’s new mental health minister has been lobbied over the potential closure of a “vital” Angus health facility.
The 25-bed Mulberry Unit at Stracathro Hospital is the county’s only acute adult mental health, built as part of the £20 million Susan Carnegie Centre in 2011.
As part of a review into services offered in Perth, Dundee and Angus, NHS Tayside will hold crunch consultation meetings in June which could lead to the unit’s closure.
The newly-elected MSP for Angus North and Mearns, Mairi Evans, has committed to the protection of mental health inpatient facilities at the Mulberry.
And she told The Courier she has lobbied the new Minister for Mental Health, Maureen Watt, for her support and has asked to meet NHS chiefs over “tokenistic” consultation.
She said: “I said that the Mulberry Unit would be my top priority after this election.
“That is why I have contacted the new Minister for Mental Health outlining the current situation and ongoing threat to the unit.
“I will be doing everything within my power to prevent the closure of this vital facility.”
There are three acute admission wards – Carseview in Dundee, Murray Royal in Perth and the Mulberry.
In March, the health board approved a proposal to reduce the number of adult psychiatry inpatient services in Tayside from three to one or two locations.
Ms Evans criticised the initial report to board members in March as “fundamentally flawed”.
“There was no financial information provided at all, the small amount of consultation done for the purpose of that report was late, tokenistic and not representative,” she added.
“This is about fair, equitable and safe access and it is not right or fair that those living in Angus should be at a disadvantage when it comes to mental health care and provision.”
Ms Evans is also seeking a meeting with the health board chairman, Professor John Connell, along with South Angus colleague Graeme Dey.
It is understood Ms Evans, who has been an elected member for eight years, has made no decision on her future as an Angus councillor.
NHS Tayside has stressed no final decision has been made and is holding “stakeholder workshops” before it delivers its verdict on a one or two-site model for acute adult mental health hospital admission later this year.
A spokeswoman said each local authority has nominated service user and carer representatives to take part in June, with a business case developed in July and August.
She added: “Any change to inpatient services will be planned and developed alongside a strengthened model of community based services.
“This is in keeping with the Scottish Government’s objective of Shifting the Balance of Care, aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of people by increasing emphasis on health improvement and anticipatory care, providing more continuous care and more support closer to home.
“NHS Tayside is committed to providing high quality effective services in a sustainable and safe way for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.”
