Staff response to future of Ward 3

Last week this newspaper reported confirmation by the Western Trust that five remaining elderly patients at the 18-capacity Ward 3 of Waterside Hospital have now been moved to an "alternative and appropriate care environment."

A spokesperson from the Western Trust commented: "The Waterside Hospital is not closing. The Trust can confirm patients who had been in Ward 3 at the Waterside Hospital have now been placed in an alternative and appropriate care environment to meet their individual needs.

"The Trust cannot comment further on any individual patient for confidentiality reasons. The present Ward 3 will be subject to capital improvements in the forthcoming months to make it ready for its new function, which is to provide Elderly Mentally Ill and Functionally Mentally Ill assessment wards."

But despite these reassurances health workers and members of the public have been in touch with the Sentinel fearful over the future of the Londonderry facility.

An email from a worker at the hospital stated: "I work in Waterside Hospital, they have announced that in two weeks they are closing down ward one which currently has 18 patients.

"The patients are being moved to other wards in the Waterside Hospital. However, this now means there will be 18 less long term elderly care beds in the Western Health trust, which is already struggling to accommodate long term elderly patients.

Redeployment

"The staff of ward one are to be shared amoung the remaining wards in the Waterside hospital until September. After September all the staff in the hospital will face redeployment meaning they will keep some staff on in the Waterside.

"But a majority will be relocated to either Altnagelvin or the community - they have no choice in the matter - if they are chosen to go they have to take the post wherever it is."

Meanwhile a concerned member of the local community wrote to the Sentinel arguing that a reduction in public elderly health care would ultimately result in people selling their homes to pay for private provision.

In a letter addressed to the Sentinel the "caring community member" wrote: "Decades of care in the Waterside Hospital is over. By the end of June 2010 the last remaining elderly care ward in Northern Ireland will close.

"Our elderly population is growing our own future care and dignity that we have worked for will be gone. Care will be the privilege of the rich, few of us can or will be able to afford to pay for our care. Our homes will be sold to pay for it."

A Western Trust spokesperson responded: "The Trust acknowledges the importance of the Waterside Hospital to the community and the dedication of staff who are committed to delivering the highest quality of care.

"Services are currently changing in the Waterside Hospital in line with both the strategic direction for older people's services and the Bamford Review. The focus of the strategic direction is on maintaining and supporting people in their own homes and enhancing the journey of care and improving the patient experience for all our elderly patients.

"In doing so, the Trust aims to make use of all of our resources both in hospital and in the community and thereby ensure the best possible care for patients.

"The Waterside Hospital will remain an important facility in the long term delivery of older people's services within the Trust. The Trust is currently engaging with the relatives and patients regarding proposed changes and consulting with staff and trades unions."