Continuing care at Ward 3 to be phased out

Five patients and 24 staff will be affected by the shake-up.

Elderly patients with mental health needs will in future be assessed at Ward 3 with the five remaining patients in the once 18 strong ward set to be moved to alternative care beds in their own and private nursing homes.

The Western Health and Social Trust (WHSCT) said its policy is informed by the Bamford Review which favours the support of individuals in their own homes.

A letter dated March 22, 2010, from the Senior Human Resources Manager to 24 staff at the Waterside Hospital and seen by the Sentinel referred to a consultation meeting held on February 25, 2010, to explicitly discuss "the closure of Ward 3."

Following the consultation it was agreed "the points system within the redeployment and redundancy policy will be one of the factors used to determine allocation of posts." The letter also promised individual meetings with staff to discuss the shake-up.

WHSCT continues to deny the Ward is to be closed but admits service provision will be dramatically restructured. Ward 3 will not in future be used to house patients but will be converted to an assessment ward.

Unison Branch Secretary and former mental health nurse, George McKnight, says the shake-up will result in staff losing their jobs and patients receiving a lower standard of care in private nursing homes.

Mr McKnight also believes the proposed use of Ward 3 as an assessment ward means Alzheimer's services will be switched from the Ballycann ward when continuing care at Ward 3 is phased out. Ballycann will close as a result, he said.

He says this will ultimately lead to a reduction of staffing levels in the Western Trust with nowhere to redeploy staff.

"There is nowhere to put staff," said Mr McKnight. "In Foyleview you have 20 odd staff and in the southern section you have 40 or 50. There is nowhere to put them."

He also says the pursual of a policy that would see older people cared for in private nursing homes rather than within the Western Trust is regressive.

"I know that in Ward 3 the quality of care is second-to-none. If you put patients in private homes the care is not as good. You can't make a profit in health care. There have to be cuts somewhere," he said.

A spokesperson for WHSCT commented: "The purpose for which Ward 3 is used is changing from providing continuing care beds to providing Elderly Mentally Ill and Functionally Mentally Ill assessment wards.

"This change is in line with the strategic direction for older peoples services and the Bamford Review, whose focus is on maintaining and supporting people in their own homes.

"The patients currently in Ward 3 have received a comprehensive assessment of their needs and will be placed in the most appropriate care environment to meet their individual care needs.

"The staff who provided the continuing care service in Ward 3 have been consulted about the change and will be redeployed using the Trust's policy arrangements.

"The Trust is committed to continuing to provide services for older people, and the Waterside Hospital will continue to be a part of this provision of services."