Hunter New England Local Health District says it has no plans to close Riverview Lodge at Wingham Hospital.
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President of the Manning Great Lakes Community Health Action Group, Alan Tickle recently contacted the Wingham Chronicle with concerns regarding Riverview Lodge.
Mr Tickle said there were rumours that Hunter New England Health (HNEH) was closing Riverview Lodge, a T-BASIS (formerly known as CADE) unit at Wingham Hospital. Mr Tickle said he had heard there might be job losses, that the union was involved, and there was no consultation with staff.
The Chronicle contacted HNEH regarding the rumours and received the following statement from Marcia Fogarty, executive director Hunter New England Mental Health.
“Hunter New England Local Health District has no plans to close Riverview Lodge at Wingham Hospital.
“The Transitional Behavioural Assessment and Intervention Service Unit (T-BASIS Unit) at Riverview Lodge provided short to medium stay transitional or non-acute inpatient care for older people with severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia and/or mental illness.
“I want to assure the community that T-BASIS patients are continuing to receive care, but this care is currently being provided from the Manning Mental Health Centre.
“The decision to relocate the T-BASIS unit was made as the general practitioner and psychiatrist that support the service have advised they are unable to continue due to personal circumstances.
“Moving the service to the Manning Mental Health Centre has ensured that appropriate medical coverage can continue. In addition, when appropriate for the patient, mental health clinicians are also working with nursing homes to provide clinical support to manage patients in the community.
“While T-BASIS patients are being cared for in Manning (Hospital), Riverview Lodge is focusing on supporting sub-acute and rehabilitation patients. There has been no change to the number of nursing positions at Riverview Lodge.
“We have worked closely with mental health and Manning hsopital staff to implement this interim change, required to ensure we continue to provide appropriate care for our patients.”
A spokesperson for HNEH told the Wingham Chronicle there were no T-BASIS patients staying at Riverview Lodge at the time of the change of the Lodge to sub-acute and rehabilitation care.
In addition, the spokesperson said the Mental Health Centre report they have the beds required for patients that would have normally have stayed at Riverview Lodge, and there was no negative impact on demand for mental health services as a result of the reclassification of Riverview Lodge.