Care services spared but axe still hovers
AT THE end of a week of worry, stress and uncertainty for many people, widely-reported healthcare cuts were, in the end, dropped. For now, at least. Plans by Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to bridge a £13 million funding gap for 2018/19 included measures to close centres for people with learning disabilities, shut the Knapdale dementia ward in Mid Argyll Hospital, close elderly day centres and privatise home carers’ services.
These savings alone would result in the loss of at least 70 full-time equivalent jobs to cut an estimated £465,000 from spending.
Together with other sweeping measures, the HSCP aimed to save £3.4 million.
The trade union Unison, when it got wind of the proposals, reacted angrily, releasing details of potential job losses among its members.
Alarmed at the suddenness of the announcement, staff, carers and service users were left to deal with the prospect of losing much-needed jobs and services.
The final decision was due to be rubberstamped by the HSCP’s governing body, Argyll and Bute Integration Joint Board (IJB), at a meeting in Kilmory on Wednesday March 28. People affected by the threatened closures were, by this time, galvanised into action – and a petition by councillors Douglas Philand and Donald Kelly of Argyll First to ‘retain vital health and social care services in Argyll and Bute’ rapidly gathered 1,352 signatures.
One of the facilities earmarked for closure was the Lochgilphead Resource Centre, offering support for people with learning disabilities, their families and carers.
As the news emerged last week, an emergency meeting was called at the centre. The conclusion was that any propose closure of the centre would be ‘vigorously opposed’.
One parent said: ‘The few hours my child spends at the resource centre are invaluable. What is the alternative? Where do people go?’
But Wednesday’s IJB meeting turned out to be less crunch and more damp squib – the main business understood to have been had been discussed and agreed at a ‘heated’ pre-meeting ahead of the publicised event.
Scotland’s health minister, Shona Robison, last week urged the IJB to ‘reconsider as a matter of the highest priority what further work it needs to complete’ before finalising spending plans. IJB members unanimously agreed to a motion by chairman Robin Creelman to remove the planned savings from closing learning disability centres, the Knapdale ward, elderly day centres and privatising home carers’ services.
The board also withdrew a separate report outlining potential further service changes – understood to include a leaked plan to close all council-run care homes in Argyll and Bute because they ‘would not have been in line with the strategic plan’.
Officers have been asked to draw up alternative savings proposals to be brought back to the IJB in May.
Mr Creelman had opened the meeting with an apology for ‘the way things transpired’.
He added: ‘There was no intention of anything being hidden or dealt with in secret, as was implied.’
Pauline Turner, of Lochgilphead’s Dochas Centre, which offers support for carers, said: ‘We’re delighted they listened to popular opinion. I just hope they consult properly with carers and people like ourselves in the third sector before they do anything else.
‘They need to think more openly and holistically. We have good ideas, and working together we can use what we have a lot better.’