Health Secretary Neil Gray has said he \u201ccan\u2019t give any firm commitments\u201d about stopping the closure of Elgin\u2019s under-threat mental health ward.<\/p>\n
The comments came after a document, presented at a Moray Integration Joint Board (MIJB) meeting, revealed that \u201cWard 4 at Dr Gray\u2019s Hospital can no longer be maintained as an inpatient service\u201d.<\/p>\n
Health Secretary Neil Gray confirmed that he could not give \u201cany firm commitments\u201d over funding for Ward 4 improvements.<\/p>\n
The report, which provides details of an ongoing review of mental health provision across NHS Grampian, suggested that patients requiring inpatient mental health care could be sent to Royal Cornhill Hospital in Aberdeen.<\/p>\n
It adds that the review will have to consider the \u201cnumber of beds at RCH that will be required to accommodate Moray patients\u201d, along with \u201cthe development of a community response in Moray\u201d.<\/p>\n
A meeting of the MIJB in March 2024 heard that safety inspectors could \u201close their patience\u201d and sanction NHS Grampian over the risk of self-harm posed by patients in Ward 4.<\/p>\n
Plans to improve the safety of the mental health unit had previously been agreed, as part of a Scottish Government-funded project which would also see Dr Gray\u2019s Hospital receive a new MRI scanner.<\/p>\n
However, improvements on Ward 4 have been stalled since January 2024 – after the Scottish Government indefinitely pulled funding for both bundled projects.<\/p>\n
Committee minutes confirm that NHS Grampian, which currently has the highest deficit of any Scottish health board, could not find the cash to complete improvements without government support.<\/p>\n
During his visit to Dr Gray\u2019s Hospital, the Health Secretary was given a tour of Ward 4 and confirmed he had discussed the \u201cconcerns\u201d about the unit with nurses and senior staff.<\/p>\n
He argued that a lack of funding from Westminster posed \u201cchallenges\u201d to Holyrood\u2019s capital budgets, and NHS Grampian needed to consider \u201cwhat options there are to remove those concerns\u201d at Ward 4.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe challenges, in a capital sense, remain in terms of how our budgets are affected by decisions that are taken at Westminster,\u201d Mr Gray added.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, I’m keen to take the responsibility that I have – and that Grampian has – to make sure that we have facilities that meet the needs of the patients that they are here to serve.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we did have a conversation around Ward 4, around the concerns that have been raised, and there is further work to be done by Grampian to look at what options there are to remove those concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo see a more appropriate service being delivered going forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I have given a commitment to continue to work with Grampian on ensuring that is the case.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked whether NHS Grampian will be given more money to keep Ward 4 open, or whether services will instead be moved to Aberdeen, the Health Secretary said he could not make any \u201cfirm commitments\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody recognises the fiscal situation that we’re in, the financial position that we’re in as a Scottish Government, so I can’t give any firm commitments about additional resource,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I can do is continue to support Grampian in looking at what options there are.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we will always consider potential resource investment off the back of a business case, or on the back of an evidence-based approach to service delivery.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can’t give a commitment that will result in additional resource.<\/p>\n
\u201cOr how they design their services to ensure that patients can continue to be served well here in Moray, which is obviously the primary concern and the primary concern that I was discussing with nursing as well as senior staff in Ward 4.\u201d<\/p>\n