Two Highland hospitals are being made ready for a potential second wave of Covid-19 – but local communities are concerned at the loss of the facilities in the meantime.
The Royal Northern Infirmary (RNI) in Inverness is being entirely reconfigured for Covid-19 care, while Migdale Hospital in Bonar Bridge currently has one of its two wards closed to be able to take on Covid-19 cases.
MSP Rhoda Grant says she is becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of transparency on the future of Migdale’s Strathy ward, closed and earmarked for Covid-19 patients.
When the 22-bed hospital opened in 2011, the ward was designated for older people with mental health problems, including dementia care.
Mrs Grant said claims from the community suggest the Strathy ward will probably not be used for mental health services in the future.
She said: “I hope coronavirus is not being used as cover for mental health staff and resources to be diverted by the back door.”
NHS Highland says in-patients in the Strathy ward were sent to New Craigs in Inverness to make way for the re-configuration, while the staff caring for them are now being deployed in the community to care for patients in their own homes.
An NHS spokesman said: “This is in place while we are working through the remobilisation of services and ensure that we have capacity to respond to a second wave of Covid-19.”
Norman MacDonald of Bonar Bridge Community Council said: “We are in the dark about the Strathy ward closure as we haven’t been consulted, but I’m not sure how they will cope with Covid as there are only minimal facilities, no A&E and no doctors.”
Meanwhile in Inverness a petition ‘Stop the loss of services to the community by halting the closure of the Royal Infirmary’ has garnered almost 1,500 signatures.
Patients in the hospital have been discharged to allow the wards to be reconfigured for potential Covid-19 patients.
NHS Highland is pressing on with the reconfiguration, with fire safety work due to begin next week.
NHS Highland’s chief officer for community services, David Park, said: “Once this is completed, the wards will be available for any increased demand related to winter pressures and the ongoing pandemic.
“In the meantime, we are developing an enhanced community model that will support people to remain at home for their care and treatment when it is safe to do so.
“This is really important as we continue to live with Covid and seek to minimise risks to patients and their families and support physical distancing measures.”