The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
‘Bitterly disappointing’ stracathro decision
MSP calls for assurances that hospital has a future
Local politicians have been swift to condemn the decision to close the Mulberry unit at Stracathro Hospital after its fate was finally sealed.
The Angus unit is to go as part of a Tayside-wide redesign of mental health services.
Mairi Gougeon, SNP MSP for Angus North and the Mearns, described the decision as “bitterly disappointing” and called for assurances that Stracathro has a future.
She branded the public consultation over Mulberry a “tick box exercise”.
North east Conservative MSP Liam Kerr slated the SNP Government for not addressing the problem of recruiting junior doctors, saying: “If steps had been taken to recruit junior doctors, none of this would be necessary.”
Mrs Gougeon is to visit Stracathro next week to seek further assurances over the services the hospital will continue to offer.
She said: “No matter how it is dressed up by the IJB or NHS Tayside, this is a real blow to Angus and will make inpatient care for many of my constituents much harder to access.
“It will also substantially increase journey times for friends or relatives to visit patients and it comes at a time where the number of mental health cases are on the increase.”
“Angus spoke the loudest in the consultation, with 43% of all responses coming from the area. Despite the fact a clear majority of responses were unified in their opposition to the closure of the Mulberry Unit, that proposal is now going ahead.
“It was an uncomfortable inconvenience to the IJBS and NHS Tayside and it wasn’t conducted in a fashion that allowed alternative views to be considered.
“They will now have to deal with the fall-out from this decision.”
She said the public needed to be reassured Stracathro has a future.
“I have had written assurances from both the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport and NHS Tayside’s chief executive that this is not under threat,” she added.
Mr Kerr said: “The integrated joint boards faced a terrible choice which had already been made for them.
“There was a consultation for people to get involved in, but it was terribly flawed from the start.
“It’s impossible to ask a question when there’s only one answer: a preferred option that means Angus patients and their families lose local treatment.”
Angus Conservative MP Kirstene Hair said: “This is not a ward which is underused. Lives are saved at the Mulberry on a daily basis.
“Those affected will face unnecessary barriers to treatment as public transport links between north Angus and Ninewells Hospital are not up to scratch – and almost impossible to manage for those living rurally.”
“Eespite the fact a clear majority of responses were unified in their opposition to the closure of the Mulberry Unit, that proposal is now going ahead.
Msp MAIRI GOUGGON