Concerns over future of day care service

The Integrated Joint Board (IJB) agreed in March that the service would no longer be run at the St David’s Day Care Centre, although those who still required a building-based service would be able to get it at an alternative location.

While a replacement location to host the service has yet to be identified, David Middleton, chair of the Confederation of St Andrews Residents’ Association, expressed concerns that Victory Memorial Hall could be used.

Last month, councillors approved a common good application to install Wi-Fi in the hall, with the report noting that Fife Health and Social Care Partnership had ‘expressed an interest in hiring space within the Victory Memorial Hall for day care provision’.

Mr Middleton said it would “degrade” the service if it was to be operated out of Victory Memorial Hall.

“The building is fairly decrepit,” he told the Citizen.

“It was never designed for day care. St David’s has good facilities, disabled toilets, an office for records, and it’s a fairly modern building.

“They should be looking at better facilities, not a gloomy 100-year-old hall.

“Replacing a modern airy and spacious day care centre well-adapted for the users with a hall which cannot start to provide the same level of facilities would be unacceptable in an age where all other key services are improving care and accommodation standards.”

He argued there was a lack of long-term planning about the service, describing some of the decisions as “penny pinching”.

The decision to move the service out of St David’s, as well as the Leng Resource Centre in Newport, was estimated to save £120,000 over two years, and was made as the IJB agreed its latest budget.

Mr Middleton said his concerns about the future of the service had been shared by carers and relatives of some of the users.

The future of the St David’s Day Care centre also remains uncertain. It is understood a community asset transfer request has been submitted by a community group.

Fife Health and Social Care Partnership also confirmed that while replacement care villages are being constructed at 10 sites around Fife, with some already completed, there are no plans for a similar project in St Andrews.

“A number of building options are being considered for the re-provision of St David’s day service,” said Louise Bell, service manager, Older People’s Sevices.

“No decision has yet been made and any alternative will require to meet Care Inspectorate Registration requirements.

“There are no plans for Fife Council to build a care home in St Andrews. The care home replacement approved by Fife Council’s policy and resources committee commits to replace existing care homes only.”