Fears for future of Mullinure Hospital
Thursday, 20 November 2008
by LIZ ADAIR.
JOBS and services could be axed at Mullinure Hospital in Armagh, local politicians have warned.
The Southern Trust has outlined a number of 'service change proposals', ahead of a public consultation that will be launched on December 10 for facilities in the area.
The plans - if put in place - would lead to major changes for patients and clients in the Armagh area.
Chief Executive Colm Donaghy has said the strategy follows on from Health Minister Michael McGimpsey asking all health and social care trusts to develop plans to deliver services more efficently.
“The Southern Trust has developed 33 proposals designed to save £21.3m over the next three years," said Mr Donaghy. "All of these proposals are consistent with our strategic direction and will help improve care to our population. Of the 33 proposals, there are six which, if implemented, would lead to significant changes for patients and clients".
These include a reduction in the number of residential homes, service developments and changes to the numbers of non-acute hospital beds in the Armagh and Dungannon areas and a centralisation of mental health in-patient services to the new Bluestone Unit at Craigavon Area Hospital.
Other points featured are a continued resettlement of people with mental illness from long-stay, hospital-based care, continued resettlement of people with learning disability from long-stay, hospital-based care and developing outreach services and reducing the number of children requiring short-term residential care placements.
Mr Donaghy said that a 12-week public consultation of the proposals will begin shortly and stressed that no decisions had been made at this stage.
“By providing information at this early stage we are trying to assist interested parties -ties to consider the main proposals in advance of the Trust's December Board meeting, where they will be issued for full public consultation," he said.
Councillor Thomas O'Hanlon, the SDLP chairman of Armagh Council's Public Services Committee, expressed his concerns and anger at the proposals.
He revealed that he had been contacted by a number of staff from the hospital who were worried for the future of health services in Armagh.
“On Thursday, staff from Mullinure Hospital were advised of rationalisation plans for the site which, in their view, would decimate services for senior citizens and the elderly living in the Armagh City and District Council area and beyond," he said.
“What struck me most was the fact that those contacting me were first and foremost concerned about the impact on services for the elderly, putting these concerns before the future of their own jobs.
“Mullinure - and indeed all of the services offered on the St Luke's and Longstone site - are under serious threat, and we will see a vast reduction in services at that site in the coming years. Mullinure is a non-acute hospital, in that it admits people as a result of a referral from local GPs or from Craigavon or Daisy Hill Hospitals as a rehabilitation facility for elderly and infirm patients.
“The Trust tell me that at any given time there are up to 16 beds vacant in Mullinure and that the new unit will do away with empty beds, but I want real answers as to the cost of these proposals. Just how much will have to be spent on making improvements at this new site to make it suitable? It just doesn't make sense when we have an excellent facility in Mullinure".
Mr O'Hanlon said when he received news from staff, he was 'shell-shocked' and contacted the Trust to express his concern and anger at the proposals.
He went on: "The Trust has claimed that there will be no compulsory redundancies, however the staff who contacted me are not reassured by this commitment. As part of ongoing reviews and the implementation of the Banford Review, we will see five in-patient wards at St Luke's and Longstone close, as the Trust place people back in the community over the next three years.
“How can this - on top of the Mullinure rationalisation/closure - mean no compulsory job losses. I really do fear the worst for Armagh and for health services jobs; I fear for hundreds of jobs.
“Everything is being pulled out of Armagh to Craigavon and in this case Dungannon too. I say its closure, no matter how they try and dress it up or put woolly titles on it. It's closure and it will have a detrimental impact to the people of Armagh, of all ages".
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin MLA for Newry and Armagh, Cathal Boylan, claimed Longstone Hospital would lose three wards, with Villa One and Villa Two to be closed completely and Villa Three being moved to Mullinure.
“Huge cuts have been announced in Minister McGimpsey's recent proposals. These cuts mean that by next October there will be no care available for elderly people over the age of 65 in the Armagh area. Those in need of this care will be forced to travel to Dungannon or Craigavon," Mr Boylan said.
“I am urging Michael McGimpsey to review these cuts, as they will be hitting frontline services and have terrible consequences for the most vulnerable in our society. Less than a month ago the Minister announced that there would be over 700 jobs cut in nursing. This latest announcement is a further blow to healthcare in Armagh," he added.
DUP MLA William Irwin said he was concerned with the plans to reorganise services at Mullinure.
Speaking following discussions with staff members, Mr Irwin said that the plans would greatly affect both patients and staff.
He said: "I spoke to the Chief Executive Colm Donaghy by telephone and raised my concerns with him on this matter. I would be against any proposal that would adversely affect patients and staff or indeed the future sustainability of the facility.
“It appears that the Trust will meet in December on this matter, a consultation will then follow and a final decision will be taken in March 2009. I will be raising the matter further with the Health Minister at Assembly level as we cannot afford to lose these vital services in the Armagh area".
The Trust Board will consider the outcome of the public consultations at a meeting to be held in March 2009, when final decisions will be made in relation to each of the proposals.
