Advertiser launches Save Knapdale Ward campaign

Last week the small group of people controlling how pubic money is spent on health services in the region decided to press ahead with a process which could lead to the closure of a ward in Mid Argyll Hospital.

Argyll and Bute Integration Joint Board agreed to consult on its preferred option, which would see dementia care moved entirely to the community other than in severe cases, where inpatients would be placed in the Glasgow area. The Knapdale dementia ward needs to be improved, but once done it would be a valuable resource to enhance and support the proposed community dementia care model.

Member after member of Argyll and Bute Integration Joint Board said the proposal to close Knapdale was ‘not about money’, but the elephant in the room was the estimated £8.3 million budget gap in 2020/21.

The HSCP’s own figures, though, reveal the cost of buying care services from Greater Glasgow and Clyde would virtually wipe out any savings if more than a handful of patients needed to be referred.

And that does not take account of the human cost of patients being placed many miles from their families.

A further report will be submitted to the IJB on the outcome of the forthcoming consultation at its next meeting on March 25.

We urge anyone with an interest in dementia care to support our campaign to Save Knapdale Ward and get involved with the consultation when it opens. Let us know what you think.

In essence, we cannot see the benefit of throwing the baby out with the bath water in this case.

Knapdale ward has its faults, but experienced and skilled people have offered solutions. Why not retain some inpatient capability within Argyll and enhance what the region can offer? It seems to make perfect sense.

There is a pressing need to save money within the HSCP, but to enter another service level agreement with Greater Glasgow and Clyde hardly seems wise when there is already a hugely increased bill that may yet need to be paid for outsourced services. And does the Glasgow area have spare capacity?

For simple reasons of humanity, we should keep people near their homes and their families. We support the enhanced community care model, but let's keep Knapdale ward as a place of support for our communities.

Let's press for 'option four' to be taken forward by the IJB.