Oban Times Letters to the Editor - 2.5.24

Along with the four other peninsula community councils, we were dismayed to learn that a closure of Dail Mhor had been announced by Karen Anne Wilson (District Manager – Adult Care Services Lochaber) at the Sunart Community Council meeting on April 11. 

Since the initial announcement, there has been considerable backtracking which has led to a state of confusion and concern, and we feel that a meeting is urgently required to discuss the situation. As we see it, some of the key issues that need addressed are:

• Lochaber currently has less than half the residential care and nursing home capacity, compared to the rest of Highlands or Scotland. This has created a situation where people are unable to be discharged from the local Belford Hospital (estimated at a rate of 40-80 per cent of bed capacity at any one time). The result of this is severely impacting the level of service provided at the Belford, with patients having to travel to Inverness for procedures that would otherwise be done locally.
  
  
• There is undoubtedly a shortage of care staff which has been cited as the reason for the proposed closure. However, the Urram board has raised serious concerns about the recruitment process, which included a six-month delay in commencing advertising; adverts that were difficult to find; banners and publicity promoting a ’dead’ phone line, and lengthy and inefficient HR processes.
  
  
• The announcement of a proposed closure was made without engagement with elected officials, community councils, the Urram board or any other relevant stakeholders. We support the Urram board who are seeking an urgent clarification of who has the authority to close a care home and a review of the steps leading up to such a decision. There is particular confusion as to whether the decision lies with Highland Council (the owners of the building) or NHSH (the operators of the facility).
  
  
• The initial group of community councils and volunteers who campaigned for Dail Mhor, and subsequently the Urram board, have spent significant time working on the retention of the facility and have found funding for a project officer. They have also developed, with community involvement, a long-term plan for the site as a care hub, including daycare, respite suites, flexible care, and fit homes. 
  However, the proposed closure of Dail Mhor is premature and would leave huge additional gaps in the already inadequate services available to our community.
  
  
• Any proposed closure would require an equalities impact assessment, which will expose our severely inadequate care service, as detailed in this email.  

I hope that this has given you some understanding of the current issues our community is facing and the urgency there is to clarify the situation and prevent any premature closure. 

To this end, we think that a meeting is urgently required with our elected officials and representatives from NHSH, Highland Council, Urram, community councils and other stakeholders. 
Ardgour Community Council.