Call for meeting todiscuss Crozier House

She said that more facts need to be established before October when the Trust plans to submit proposals back to the Board.

In a progress report by the Health and Social Care Board issued recently on Transforming Your Care it highlighted the major health and social care reforms which recommends the Trusts review their individual positions regarding permanent
admissions.

Even though Crozier House has remained open, residents have been concerned that the the future admission policy has yet to be clarified, fearing it may lead to eventual closure of the home
anyway.

Crozier House was one of 18 NHS care homes in Northern Ireland that was earmarked for closure, but Edwin Poots said that the homes will remain open ‘for as long as they wish and so long as their needs can continue to be
met there’.

Mrs Baird said, “Even though the home has not closed but admissions have been stopped.

“It should go back to premanent admissions.

“I am hoping to discuss this and other issues and by calling for a health meeting we can establish more facts and can comment further
then.”

She went onto say that she feared for the future of Lurgan House.

Speaking at the Health and Social Care Board’s monthly public meeting recently, Emma Holden, Assistant Director of Transforming Your Care said: “At the heart of all these changes is to make people’s lives healthier and
easier.

“We are on a reform journey which doesn’t happen overnight.

“This scale of change takes time to get it right, and what we are hearing very strongly from everyone we speak to is the need to continue with that change, especially in the light of the very real financial and demographic challenges facing us.

“It is really important that we implement changes in a measured and thoughtful way in conjunction with our patients, clients, service users, carers, and staff, as well as the wider public sector, professional and clinical bodies, the voluntary and community sector and a wide range of other stakeholders.

“This will be essential for ensuring that any changes are sustainable and can make a difference
for everyone.”