A campaign has been launched calling for a closure-threatened ward at Crieff Community Hospital to be retained for medical use.
Alastair McLean has written to the First Minister, MSPs and councillors in a bid to ensure if the dementia ward closes it will still be used for patient care.
NHS Tayside says no final decision has yet been taken but a review is under way of the dementia ward as numbers admitted have fallen to two-a-month.
Mr McLean believes the decision to close has already been taken — a “betrayal”, he says of the staff and the Friends of the Cottage Hospital who raised money for the ward.
He is suggesting rather than simply closing the ward in March, with the possibility that it be converted to offices, it should still be used for patients.
“The current ward one should be returned back to a GP-led general ward freeing and making 20 beds available and in a small way help reduce any bed blocking at the general hospitals,” he states.
Mr McLean is starting a petition to highlight the issue and will be in James Square in Crieff from 1pm on Sunday to drum up support.
“Let us see a united community and I challenge each and every one of the people of Strathearn — and this includes Comrie and the other local areas — to support the petition,” he said.
In a statement, NHS Tayside responded: “Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership is currently reviewing and redesigning services in Perth and Kinross in line with national and local strategies to ensure local people receive the best care possible, now and in the future.
“Over the last three years dementia assessment services provided within community hospitals in the north of Perthshire have successfully transferred from hospital-based service provision to providing enhanced dementia care within the person’s own home.
“The results of this in north Perthshire means that approximately 1,000 people are now being looked after in the community.
“A meeting, attended by managers and staff representatives, has recently been held with staff in Crieff Community Hospital to discuss the ongoing review process and a full consultation and engagement process involving staff and the wider community will begin in the new year.”
Craig Finlay, chairman of Crieff Community Council, said the possible closure of the dementia ward was “an unexpected disappointment to the community”.
He said Robert Packham, chief officer for Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership, had offered to come to Crieff in January, date to be confirmed, to hear the concerns of the community.
