A hospital that cares for elderly patients will almost certainly be recommended for closure this year, The Courier understands.
It emerged earlier this summer that the future of Netherlea Hospital was under discussion as part of a review of inpatient care across the region, as Fife’s health partners seek to shift the focus away from residential care settings with a view to helping people stay at home for longer.
Now it seems as if those plans are set to be taken forward in the coming weeks and months, with Netherlea widely expected to become a casualty as a result of that blueprint for the future of health services in the area.
No decisions have yet been taken, although The Courier has learned that a report detailing the future model of services and recommendations will be presented to the Glenrothes and North East Fife Community Health Partnership (CHP) committee in October.
The hospital, which opened as a maternity unit in 1948, can cater for up to 10 patients, with six GP beds and four elderly care beds.
However, the range and complexity of patient needs are becoming ever more challenging to a 10-bed unit, while NHS Fife revealed most Netherlea patients are in transit from other hospitals to their homes or other care providers.
The condition of the building, which is now over a century old, is also thought to have been a catalyst for the decision to look again at Netherlea.
An update to the CHP this week explains the situation and again reiterates the chance that Netherlea Hospital could close.’Models of care’It states, “The new models of care require us to review bed configuration across the CHP and consolidate inpatient provision on sites which can support the new models.
“Indications are that there are opportunities to develop care through community teams locally. However, the continuation of access to inpatient care at Netherlea Hospital is under review.”
The document goes on to suggest that there was scope for alternative arrangements to be put in place reasonably quickly.
It states, “The development of new community hospital facilities in St Andrews and Cupar provide purpose-built facilities alongside the provision of a full range of diagnostic and treatment services.
“These can provide appropriate capacity to support inpatient needs for the locality as a whole.” NHS Fife has already given assurances it would expect staff to be redeployed if the hospital closed.
Netherlea continued as a maternity hospital until the late 1960s when it became a “lying in” hospital for new mothers.
In 1974 it changed to caring for long-stay elderly patients and after alterations it became a GP community hospital in 1997, still caring for long-stay elderly patients.MeetingA meeting has been arranged at St Andrews Community Hospital this month to give interested parties the chance to discuss the proposals in more detail and find out what they could mean in practice.
However, local councillor Tim Brett, who chairs Fife’s social work committee, has raised a number of questions about the plans and is seeking firm answers soon.
He said, “I asked a number of questions in the middle of June to which I still don’t have answers, and I think there will be a good deal of irritation that the meeting is not being held in Newport as many will find it difficult to get to St Andrews at 7pm in the evening.
“We have to know exactly what the alternative arrangements are going to be.”
He added, “It appears that some of the people will go to St Andrews or Cupar, neither of which are particularly convenient for people who live in the Tay Bridgehead area.
“It also looks like other arrangements will be made for other people but again it’s not clear what these will be.”
Mr Brett added that, looking at the wording of the document, the “obvious conclusion” was that Netherlea is to close, although he stressed that NHS Fife could have been more upfront with the proposals when developing new community facilities
He said, “I’m going to insist that the CHP provide answers both to myself but also to the Friends of Netherlea, as they have an absolute duty to explain to people what the alternative arrangements will be.”
CHP representatives will be available in St Andrews Community Hospital on August 29 at 7pm to meet representatives from the Newport, Wormit and Forgan Community Council and the Netherlea League of Friends.
All are invited, although attendance should be confirmed with Teresa Briggs by calling 01334 465947 or emailing teresa.briggs@nhs.net.