Relatives of patients speak out

Duncan Ferguson

One of the three patients currently in Knapdale ward is Archie Ferguson from Tarbert.

Archie’s brother Duncan, now living at Bonhill near Dumbarton, spoke to the Advertiser about his family's experiences.

‘My brother is 64 and has been in the Knapdale ward for the past seven or eight months,’ said Duncan.

‘He tried living at home but, ultimately, had to be admitted to hospital as an emergency. As a result of that he was moved to the dementia unit after a couple of days and that’s where he has been since.’

Duncan explained: ‘The treatment he’s been getting in the Knapdale ward has been fantastic. He knows quite a lot of the staff, or rather they know him from his time working at the Crinan Canal. Some people remember him from the time he ran his discos. Sadly, Archie has no memory of them and has lost the interest in music he had.’

Duncan outlined his thoughts on the plans to close the ward.

‘If they were to close the Knapdale ward it would be brutal. Not a smart thing to do at all. And to move people away from their families would be a backward step.

‘If my brother was moved he would lose that Mid Argyll connection, away from the people who know him.’

In a message to the Integration Joint Board, he said: ‘I think they need to look at this very, very carefully before deciding to shut such a tremendous facility. It serves the whole of Argyll and Bute, including the islands. To take away a facility like this would be criminal.’

Belinda Braithwaite

‘I have personal experience of this as my husband was cared for with skill, compassion and dignity on Knapdale ward for nearly four years at the end of his life,’ Belinda explained.

‘It is an expensive resource and it’s not perfect and I recognise that home, or a homely environment is the ideal – but sometimes carers just burn out.

‘As dementia progresses, families and carers, often elderly and with their own health issues, manage as best they can. The best place for most of us to be is at home, but in an ideal world there would be support from health and social care services through respite, day provision, carers coming to help at home, meals on wheels, occupational therapists – the list is endless.

‘As the condition progresses, some patients, albeit a minority – but in human rights terms a number for consideration – develop more complex needs such as aggressive outbursts, delusions and hallucinations, some of which can be ameliorated by medication and some not.

‘I regret that this proposal is an example of confirmation bias, where evidence fitting the plans is presented and evidence in plain view is ignored. In Argyll and Bute, we don’t have the beds in the care homes. We don’t have respite beds. We don’t have care centres for the elderly.

‘The HSCP suggests patients would be sent to the Glasgow area as the need arises and I assure you, it will.

‘This really is a human rights issue. Imagine trying to visit your loved one in Glasgow every day. These patients don’t have a voice to advocate for better care. They are a silent, and a slightly hidden, minority.’