SDHB plans a five-bed cut to unit

The Southern District Health Board says its 15-bed Dunedin residential service for people with mental illness or addiction problems should be cut to 10.

The DHB also wants to outsource the accommodation, saying it would continue providing the care programme, but it was "unusual" for a DHB to house residents.

Despite cutting beds by a third, the DHB proposes no job losses.

The facility is Hulme House, which was evacuated in January, when residents were sent to private provider Ashburn Clinic.

The DHB provides a care programme for residents at Ashburn, in a temporary arrangement.

A structural assessment revealed Hulme House was not earthquake-safe.

"It is clear that this service cannot return to the building in High St it originally operated from without considerable expenditure to make the building compliant with modern building code standards," a proposal for change said.

Five beds were being cut because the service "provides a level of clinical input that is higher than generally provided or expected in this type of service".

Those not eligible for the new 10-bed service could be helped by other services.

DHB mental health assistants (3.5 full-time equivalents) would transfer to the new provider with the same terms and conditions.

Nurses (5.2 full-time equivalents) would be retained by the DHB, providing residents' rehabilitation.

"Shared care" between the DHB and a private or community provider fitted with its new approach to mental health services, the DHB proposal said.

Written feedback on the proposal was sought by July 9.

An open tender process would be used to select the accommodation provider.

Ashburn Clinic business manager Lindsay Smith told the Otago Daily Times it was at present acting as "landlord" because of the Hulme House evacuation.

It was by no means certain Ashburn would seek a long-term contract, because it would significantly change its patient mix, Mr Smith said.

The idea was being considered, he said.

- eileen.goodwin@odt.co.nz

 

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