Ronas Ward could close

GILBERT Bain Hospital’s Ronas Ward could close to allow more people to rehabilitate in their own homes or in care centres.

NHS Shetland confirmed this week that it is looking into shutting the ward at the Lerwick hospital, which currently contains six beds and is used for patient recuperation.

A decision should be made by the end of September when the matter is discussed at a meeting of the integration joint board.

NHS Shetland chairman Ian Kinniburgh told BBC Radio Shetland that as the ward isn’t always full, staff are sometimes being “under-utilised” and may be better served being deployed elsewhere.

“We think we can do it more effectively by doing it a different place, and that’s within the wider community,” he said.

“That might involved the Montfield support unit, which was a joint project set up specifically around things like rehabilitation.

“It might be putting specialists into support people in a care home setting as an intermediate to getting them back to their own homes, or it might be straight into their own homes with the extra bundle of care being provided.”

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The proposals were discussed at a Lerwick Community Council meeting on Monday, with some concerns raised about where financial savings would be coming from and the level of care and attention that will be given to patients.

Public partnership forum chairman Harold Massie, however, said he supported the proposals.

In February, NHS Shetland managers said no plans were in place to close Ronas Ward despite a need to find £3.9 million in savings next year.

However, nursing director Kathleen Carolan said the health board had been considering the strategy of reducing hospital beds by providing more care in the community for a number of years.