Campaigners against the permanent closure of an Angus mental health unit have had crunch talks with Scotland’s health minister.
The Mulberry Unit at Stracathro Hospital is temporarily closed on safety grounds due to a shortage of junior doctors but question marks remain over its future as NHS Tayside reviews its three mental health bases in Perth, Dundee and near Brechin.
North Angus and Mearns MSP Mairi Evans took key campaigners to meet Dundee City East MSP Shona Robison to state the case to keep Mulberry.
Jenny Laird from Forfar and Dennis Groark of Brechin took part after Ms Evans requested the meeting from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in January.
With the campaign to keep Mulberry now reaching a critical stage, the protestors are urging NHS Tayside not to make their consultation process a “tick-box” exercise.
Mr Groark said: “We will keep on contesting this decision in the knowledge that we have the moral case and Mairi’s backing but I fear the campaign to stop Mulberry from permanent closure is going to be in vain.
“NHS Tayside stated quite clearly in their board meetings last year that one of their three units in Perth, Dundee and Mulberry would close – and Mulberry looks like it is being singled out.
“Now, astonishingly, they have changed this to ‘no decision has yet been taken.’
“We cannot have a consultation process that is merely a tick-box exercise.”
Ms Evans has opposed closure since the NHS Tayside board agreed in March 2016 that one of three mental health units would have to close.
She added: “I’m grateful to the Cabinet Minister for meeting with me and a few of the campaigners to discuss Mulberry.
“There is no doubt that the unit is under severe threat of closure but the one thing I will not do is give up without a real fight.
“We have been promised a proper consultation on the long-term future of Mulberry.
“This must be a completely open and transparent process and take proper cognisance of the views of all consultees.
“It has to be far more substantive than the previous report that we saw from NHS Tayside on March 2016.
“It cannot be a tick-box exercise and it can’t be a consultation that is done with a pre-determined aim to close Mulberry.
“Neither can the fact that Mulberry is currently closed on safety grounds be used as evidence in favour of permanent closure.”
