An interim move of acute mental health patients from Angus to Dundee has allowed health chiefs to “test” a permanent arrangement, it has emerged.
NHS Tayside shut the Mulberry Unit at Stracathro Hospital this month due to junior doctor shortages.
Only 18.6 are available in mental health locally, from a required 31.
The contingency move came against a background of local concern for the unit — based in the £20 million Susan Carnegie Centre — which is under the microscope as the health board considers closing one or two of its three adult mental health centres.
The Angus health and social care partnership’s joint board was told the closure is separate from this consultation.
But Bill Troup, the partnership’s head of integrated mental health services, said the measure has benefited inpatients at the Carseview Centre in Dundee.
“Although we’re quite clear this is an interim move and should not pre-empt the final outcome, it is allowing us to test out some things,” he told the Forfar meeting.
“We had 25 beds in Stracathro but on the day of the move we managed to get down to 10 patients so the move’s impact was minimised.
“We limited admissions on the first week but now two weeks in, the ward is fully operational.
“We’ve been pleasantly surprised by how problem-free that move was and there were no issues raised on the staff side…
“A slight benefit from concentrating all our medical staff in Carseview and Murray Royal is more doctors are available for the Carseview site, which results in patients sent for assessment having less waiting time.”
Mr Troup said psychiatry sessions have increased by four half-days and more nursing staff will become available in north Angus.
The Susan Carnegie Centre’s Rowan and Willow wards, which care for up to 30 Psychiatry of Old Age patients, remain open but have nursing staff issues as they are co-dependent with Mulberry.
“There have been some implications for our two psychiatry of old age wards at Stracathro but we are recruiting nursing staff for that ward,” Mr Troup added.
“We’ve had 10 applications for registered nurses, which is a lot more than we’d expected, and 14 for support worker staff.”
Forfar councillor Glennis Middleton said she was “delighted” with the number of applications but asked whether those staff would be affected by the board’s decision on mental health services.
“There is a huge difference between contingency after what was becoming a critical issue, and consultation which has been ongoing for quite a lengthy period,” she said.
“I’m wondering how we manage the workforce as there has not been a decision on the consultation.”
Partnership chief officer Vicky Irons said the incoming psychiatry of old age applicants would be made permanent due to upcoming retirals among existing staff.
