Hurlford elderly unit set to shut

Jul 3 2009 by Stef Lach, Kilmarnock Standard

THERE are fears elderly people will miss out on valuable care after plans to shut a unit at Kirklandside Hospital in Hurlford were revealed.

The hospital’s Intermediate Care Unit faces being closed by September as, according to NHS Ayrshire and Arran, the problems that led to its creation in 2002 have been resolved.

The unit provides respite for elderly people who are recovering from illness or an operation.

Kilmarnock and Loudoun MP Des Browne wants to know why the valuable service, which his own mother benefited from, is being done away with.

He said: “I know the excellent work this unit does for older people in our community.

“My own mother, at the age of 92, spent an extended period of time there.

“She emerged with a new lease of life and was able to resume independent living. The care my mother got in Kirklandside Intermediate Care Unit saved her life and restored her quality of life.

“The plans to shut it cause me deep concern. This is another SNP cut set to hit the health service in Ayrshire and Arran.”

Des wants to know what plans are in place to replace the service.

He added: “I have learned that this decision was taken ‘above Board level’.

“So was the health secretary Nicola Surgeon involved? I intend to find out why this decision has been made and what the plans are to replace the excellent level of care that this unit provides to the area.

“Once again the lack of consultation with the public on such an important issue has led to secrecy within our politics and fear within our community. Saving money is again being put above saving lives.”

Since the unit opened in 2002 it has accepted 784 patients with an average age of 82, who have stayed in the unit an average of 26 days.

NHS health care director Liz Moore said: “In line with Scottish Government policy NHS Ayrshire and Arran is developing new models of care which are flexible, community-based, closer to people’s homes and meet the needs of local people.

“We are working with partners to introduce these new models of service in the autumn. Once community-based services are established, we will cease inpatient intermediate care at Kirklandside Hospital.

“This was a pilot scheme set up as a specific short-to-medium term initiative to address historical problems, where patients could find that their discharge from hospital was significantly delayed. The reasons for these delays have now been resolved.

“Work with partners to introduce these new models of service in the autumn is being progressed through the Community Health Partnerships, and both staff and the public will be involved in this process. Staff who work in the facility will be redeployed within the health service.”