Calls for day care to be reinstated in Grantown and Kingussie
Calls are being made for day care for the elderly to be reinstated as soon as practicably possible in Grantown and Kingussie.
Residents who make use of the NHS Highland service are currently being bused to the Glen Centre in Aviemore as the two other facilities – Grant House in Grantown and Kingussie's Wade Centre - have failed Covid risk assessments for its delivery.
But concerned campaigners have questioned the safety of transporting elderly people in the confined spaces of a mini-bus on the A9 and A95 on a daily basis as well as the loss of more local services.
Local Highland councillors were brought up to speed with the current situation at their latest Highland Council area committee by Maria Dickson, NHS Highland’s south and mid area manager.
The Glen Centre first reopened to a small number of clients in May.
Ms Dickson said the health service was required by the Scottish Government to carry out risk assessments for the return of day care at their homes.
She continued: “These were carried out for the Wade Centre and Grant House and made it very clear that it was not safe to continue to deliver day care from these centres because of the staffing challenges and the layout of the homes to actual keep a safe enough environment for infection control.”
She later said: “The plan is that the Glen Centre will be the site where day care is provided for the whole of the strath and we will use mini-bus provision to bring those people here.
“We can provide up to 14 places per day which is supporting a significant number of people as they don’t tend to want to come everyday and attend on different days.
Councillor Russell Jones then quizzed the NHS official on plans to reopen the two homes for day care.
He said: “It is worrying for people in both Badenoch and Strathspey if we are to have no day care going forward and looking to upscale the Glen Centre in Aviemore.
“People in Kingussie and Grantown and vicinity were told when the new hospital opened in Aviemore that there would still be provision in these areas. Everything seems to be moving to Aviemore.”
A NHS spokeswoman said they are carrying out risk assessments on individual residential homes to decide if day care can be re-introduced.
She said: “This follows Scottish Government policy which was implemented since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have followed public health guidance and advice and the risks and impacts for both residents and day care attenders were considered.
“The current advice is that it is safer for residents living within the care homes for day care to not be offered within the Wade Centre and Grant House buildings, and so alternative day care provision is being offered at the Glen Centre.
“There is an ongoing review involving the registered managers of the care homes, the district manager and the professional lead for registered services around how adult social care is delivered across the locality.
“Should public health guidance change, NHS Highland will consider whether day care can be re-instated without any detriment to the residents of the homes.
"In the meantime, provision and transport for the Glen Centre will continue."
