ANGUS Community Health Partnership have decided to recommend reducing the number of hospital beds available in Montrose and Brechin.
The community health partnership (CHP) discussed plans for the redesign of community medicine at their meeting on Monday.
Three groups have been set up to look at possible changes including one covering the North East of Angus which incorporates
Montrose Royal Infirmary, Brechin Infirmary, Brechin Annexe, Stracathro wards 2 and 3, and Sunnyside dementia assessment unit.
This group has been considering the future options for the area and have agreed that a reduction should be made in the overall bed numbers across the three sites.
They have also recommended the option of moving to one site in the next five to ten years.
The report by Susan Wilson, general manager of Angus CHP, said that: "Further engagement with the north east communities to test the appetite for this longer term option is required to take place before any final decision is made."
Angus CHP are to recommend to the NHS Tayside Board that they agree the bed numbers and approve the recommendations of the North East sub group.
Within that region there is currently a total of 90 beds. It is proposed that this number is reduced to 47 – keeping the 15 currently available for dementia assessment at Sunnyside and reducing the 75 other beds to 32.
The 32 beds will be for medicine for the elderly (MFE) rehab and assessment, palliative care, step down from Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, community admissions and long term care.
The Angus CHP will present their proposals to the NHS Tayside Board at a meeting on Thursday, August 20, with a three month consultation likely to be held from September to November this year.
The redesign of community medicine and rehabilitation began in spring last year.
In September, local residents were urged to take part by filling out a survey form telling the Angus CHP what they wanted to replace Montrose Royal Infirmary.
The survey was circulated after Dr John M Griffith of Townhead Practise at the Links Health Centre, wrote to the Review and said a newsletter produced by Angus CHP bore little relationship to the conclusions made at a public meeting in Montrose Academy in March 2008.
The newsletter said that a minority at the Montrose meeting felt strongly that the town should retain its hospital but most participants were willing to consider re-siting, if it brought benefits for Angus patients and their visitors.
Montrose Royal Infirmary is in a state of disrepair and has been due for replacement for several years.
