Five Angus infirmaries and hospitals are being examined by health chiefs due to “challenges” in keeping them all open as normal, The Courier can reveal.
The operation of hospital wards in Forfar, Brechin, Montrose, Arbroath and Stracathro has left them “vulnerable to continual staffing challenges” in recruitment and retention, according to the Angus Health and Social Care Partnership.
And some of the facilities are now “no longer fit for purpose”.
The partnership will undertake a “comprehensive programme review of inpatient services” — including public and staff consultation — and propose options in December.
The review will examine Arbroath Infirmary, Montrose Royal Infirmary, Stracathro Hospital by Brechin, Whitehills Health and Community Care Centre in Forfar, and Brechin Infirmary which has been non-operational since October 2015.
Carnoustie and Monifieth have seen an “anticipatory care” programme run since 2015, involving GPs and district nurses alongside social workers and volunteers, and the board believes this has helped reduce hospital inpatient admissions.
The partnership’s head of community health and care services, Gail Smith, told a meeting of the health committee that staffing and resources will extend into the home and community, and traditional hospital wards must be reviewed.
“We provide care from a number of facilities and that isn’t ideal for delivering the model of care that is required,” she said.
“They were developed many, many years ago and no longer suitable to deliver the flexible care models we need.
“Brechin Infirmary is no longer operational currently but that’s one of the areas that are not fit for purpose.
“Our Angus strategic plan makes a commitment to shifting the balance of care and it calls for us to extend beyond the traditional setting of hospitals and reach much more effectively into homes and community services.
“We’ve now commenced a comprehensive programme that will review our inpatient care in Angus.
“It’s important that people recognise it’s going to be clinically focused and we’re endeavouring to put patients and carers and their needs at the heart of this process.
“We can’t afford to ignore this situation and I want…to plan to provide care that’s sustainable, that will help us retain our workforce and deploy it effectively and efficiently.
“We need to carry out this review because we face a number of challenges in delivering sustainable services.”
