The Southern Health Trust of “moving the goalposts” and leaving unpaid carers “paying the price”, as Woodlawn House – the only adult respite unit of its kind in the area – continues to cancel short breaks due to severe staffing shortages.
Councillor Nuala McLernon (Sinn Féin) has expressed frustration in relation to the ongoing staffing issues at Woodlawn House in Dungannon, a nursing facility providing vital respite for carers.
The issue of care provision for adults with complex needs is one that the representative for Torrent DEA is keen to highlight, and she has spoken openly in the past about her own sister who is the parent of a young adult with specific needs.
Councillor McLernon was responding to correspondence from the Southern Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust, informing Mid Ulster District Council that the facility is still being short-staffed.
Director of Mental Health & Disability Services, Jan McGall, wrote on July 30: “Woodlawn House Short Break Service is continuing to operate at reduced capacity, due to significant workforce challenges, specifically vacancy and sickness absence levels.
“Unfortunately, as a result, some short breaks have been cancelled, and for others the number of nights has had to be reduced.
“This reduction in service, whilst regrettable, has been necessary to ensure the safety of service users and staff.
“The team have been working hard to actively recruit to vacant nursing positions.
“Following interviews this month, we have been able to provide conditional offers for all six vacant posts.
“We are optimistic that the appointment of these nurses will help us to improve capacity and increase provision for more service users in the coming months.”
Referring to the Southern Trust correspondence at the September 25 monthly meeting of the Council, Councillor McLernon said: “It saddens me that I must lament on the same issue again here tonight.
“Woodlawn House is still currently facing a staffing crisis – the six personnel referred to in the letter, as I understand it, are still not in place.
“The situation has gotten much worse since I raised the issue before the summer.
“At that time, unpaid carers’ respite was being reduced; it is now being cancelled.
“I have been informed by several families who have had their respite provision cancelled for this month.
“As I understand it, they are now working on a month-to-month calendar, which is limiting families to make any forward plans.
“This is unacceptable that unpaid carers are suffering and paying the price.
“I make no apology for being exercised about this – it is my responsibility, and everyone in this Chamber’s responsibility, to be the voice for those who are not being heard.
“The Southern Trust repeatedly keeps moving the goalposts for unpaid carers.
“Adult respite provision for those with learning difficulties, complex needs and challenging behaviour is on its knees.
“The seven-bed unit has to cater for the whole Southern Trust area. Just seven beds – that in itself is not enough provision for the whole Trust area.
“Woodlawn House is all we have – and now we are seeing the impact of the staffing crisis unfold and impact the vulnerable in our communities.”
Councillor McLernon continued: “I can’t praise the staff at Woodlawn House enough for the job they do. They are the lifeline to those families who need their help.
“The Trust will inform us when we meet them about 15 beds being available in other facilities, such as nursing homes – but this is not available to those with complex needs.
“They are being discriminated against because their needs are so complex,” she claimed.
The councillor continued: “The Southern Trust will mention direct payment packages, which in principle sounds great, that the unpaid carer can employ someone for a few hours to look after their loved one.
“But, as I understand it, the unpaid carers are being told by the Trust that if their loved one needs medicine administered, the unpaid carer needs to be there to do that.
“How is that a practical policy to have in place? How does that policy provide respite to those carers?
“Why would they employ one or two people to care for their loved one in order to get a few hours’ respite, when they are being told by the Trust that they need to stay with the paid carers in case a medical emergency arises?
“This makes no sense. The Trust gives with one hand and takes away with the other.
“I find it frustrating to hear this. Imagine what it is like for the families, some who are single parents with a small family support network.
“It is 2025, and this is the situation we find ourselves in.”
Continuing, she said: “If anything was to happen to any one of these carers, there is no provision here to care for their loved one.
“In some instances, they are being shipped off to England at a cost of £100million per year to the Department of Health.
“[That costs] one fifth of the total budget for the sector. That is just mind-blowing.
“There currently is a Department of Health public consultation on the draft Learning Disability Service Model, which closes on November 25, and I would like to propose that the Council respond to that consultation.
“While I welcome the Minister’s comments on early intervention, he needs to recognise that there is no cure at 18, and that provision needs to be improved and increased for those post-18 with a learning disability, complex needs and challenging behaviour – not planning for post-18 will leave those families in a place of despair when there is not sufficient post-18 adult service provision.”
Councillor Barry Monteith (Independent) seconded Councillor McLernon’s proposal, and suggested the following addition.
“If [Councillor McLernon] is happy enough, could we add that we maybe try and engage with some of the users and their families in drawing up that response?
“She’s very adequately put forward the many issues that the families have been facing, not just in the last number of months but consistently over the last number of years.
“Provisioning services for folks with learning disabilities in this area has been a disgrace – it’s the only way to describe it in the Southern Trust.”
Referring to Oakridge Social Education Centre – a day-care facility for adults with learning disabilities in Dungannon which has been waiting for a new build for many years – the Dungannon DEA representative continued: “Not just in relation to Woodlawn, but [also] the abject failure to provide the new build in Oakridge.
“They should be hanging their heads in shame as to how they have addressed the issues around learning disability in this area.
“Once again, this area is consistently let down by the Southern Trust in all aspects of healthcare.”
Councillor McLernon indicated that she was happy with Councillor Monteith’s additional proposal around consulting with users and their families, to help inform a Council response to the Department of Health public consultation on the draft Learning Disability Service Model.
