Elderly patients face move to “depressing” new care unit

Granville Park. Pic: Toby Youell

Six vulnerable, elderly patients will have to leave their care unit this month, despite the concerns of relatives.

The NHS decision to close Granville Park’s continuing healthcare unit was approved last week by Lewisham Clinical Commissioning Group.

Granville residents still eligible for care will be moved to Inglemere Specialist Unit before December 1, despite a report issued by NHS Lewisham in October stating they “would not want to move anyone during the cold winter months”.

A spokesperson for the NHS said today: “We recognise that this is a concern but all moves will be carried out as sensitively and considerately as possible and will be in line with Department of Health best practice guidance.”

In a four-month consultation ending October 17, NHS Lewisham heard concerns from family members about the consequences of moving Granville patients to Inglemere.

One relative said: “I visited Inglemere and thought it was the most depressing place I’d seen. My husband’s health has benefitted from being in Granville.”

It was also suggested that Inglemere offers a lower standard of care than Granville.

The service said they disagreed and “consider that they both are of a good standard”.

A spokesperson for the NHS said today: “We know that service users, relatives and carers are concerned about what this will mean. However, both we and South London and Maudsley Foundation Trust, which runs the unit, are experienced in transferring people to alternative placements and we will do this as sensitively and considerately as possible.”

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