Midlothian residents back calls to save 'home from home' palliative care ward at community hospital
The changes are part of a reorganisation of palliative care services in Midlothian which will see more end of life care being delivered at home
Several hundred residents in Midlothian have signed a petition urging the council to halt plans to move patients at an “exceptional” palliative care ward at Midlothian Community Hospital.
Midlothian Council confirmed proposals to cut the number of palliative care beds in the Loanesk ward at the hospital from 16 to ten, and relocate them to a rehabilitation ward currently occupied by patients recovering from surgeries and strokes.
It said the changes were part of an expansion of at-home palliative care services in Midlothian and would be phased in gradually over the next six months.
But residents, including those with family members currently staying at Loanesk, said they are worried the plans would result in the loss of a valued “home from home” service for people receiving end of life care.
Alex Wilson, whose mum Jane recently moved from the Royal Infirmary to the Loanesk ward, described the decision to scale back the in-patient palliative care services at the hospital as “deplorable”.
The 66-year-old said the staff caring for his mum are “wonderful” and her quality of care has improved drastically since becoming a patient in the ward.
He said: “The difference between the Royal Infirmary and the community hospital was like night and day.
“The Loanesk ward is lovely, pleasant and calm. There’s joviality. The staff take time to talk to the patients and they make them feel wanted.
“Every time I visit my mum in the ward, I come back thinking I’m glad she’s in there.
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Mr Wilson, who found out about the proposed changes on Facebook, said he strongly disagreed with the rationale behind the decision.
He said: “Why would you fix something that isn’t broken?
“The need for high-quality inpatient end of life care is growing, not reducing.
“I have experienced care at home services, and it doesn’t always live up to what it says it is.
“I understand there’s a place for it but not at the expense of our community hospital and wards like Loanesk.”
The petition has been signed by hundreds of residents since it was set up over the weekend, with many people sharing their experiences of Loanesk.
Gillian Mcfarlane from Bonnyrigg said she remains incredibly grateful for the care her dad, Charlie, received at the ward after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour ten years ago.
The 45-year-old, who had two young children at the time, said: “After he was moved from the Royal, it was like night and day for us as a family.
“We could go in any time we wanted to, we could bring things in from home that were familiar to him, it was much closer for my mum to visit and easier for her to get parked.
“He was always very well looked after, because that’s what that ward was designed for.
“It’s not like a busy hospital ward where you are essentially a number. It meant in his last months he had a bit of dignity.”
She thinks that while at-home palliative care is a good option for some people, there is “no way” her family would have been able to cope with the strain of looking after her dad at the time.
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She said the ward, with its private rooms and calm atmosphere, became like a “home from home” during the final weeks of her dad’s life.
“We could just close the door and be together as a family,” she said.
“When he did pass away, we could sit with him in his room for as long as we wanted to.
“If he had passed away in a normal hospital ward in a bay of four beds, I don’t think that would have been the same experience for us.”
She said she is worried a mixed-use ward might change the environment for patients and their families, and would feel “so sad” if the facility wasn’t available for other people in the future.
A spokesperson for the Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Our palliative (end of life) care services in Midlothian are being reorganised to reflect the changing needs of our community, with many more people wishing to be cared for at home wherever possible.
“Ten of the current 16 palliative beds from Loanesk Ward will remain at Midlothian Community Hospital, relocating to Eden View Ward.
“This allows us to continue providing inpatient palliative care locally, while also strengthening community‑based services so we can better support people who want to spend the final stages of life at home.
“To make this possible, some rehabilitation services currently based in Eden View will move to other community settings.
“Plans are still being developed, and changes will be carefully managed and phased gradually over a period of around six months.
“Our priority throughout is to ensure continuity of care, with the needs and comfort of each individual at the centre of every decision, while still representing efficient use of our resources.”