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Deacon opens 60 bed hospital and sensory resource unit in West Lothian
28/03/2001
A new £2.3m community hospital and an £80,000 Sensory Impairment Resource Centre were opened in West Lothian today by the Scottish Health Minister, Susan Deacon.
Tippethill House Hospital - which replaces the former Tippethill Hospital in Armadale, provides long-term care for 30 frail older people and also 30 older people with mental illness, resettled from Bangour Village Hospital.
Speaking at the official opening, Ms Deacon said:
"I am delighted to be in West Lothian to open two new community-based health facilities - facilities which have been brought about by the NHS in West Lothian and West Lothian Council's dedicated approach to joint working. These new facilities mark further steps forward in the improvement of NHS services for the people of West Lothian.
"The new Tippethill hospital will offer continuing care for 60 older people in the West Lothian area. It will provide a modern and comfortable environment which will give older people high quality care.
"I am pleased that nursing staff have been closely involved in the design of the project. High quality nursing care is the key to providing people with the care they need and deserve.
"Frail older people have many sensitive and complex needs. I am pleased that in designing this facility great care has been taken to ensuring that those needs are met, including advice and assistance from Stirling University's Dementia Unit.
"Older people matter and now more than every before, there is a national commitment to provide for their lifetime care and support. Here at Tippethill House, you have provided a facility of a standard that we would wish for all our older people who need continuing care. Developing services which are centred around the needs of people is at the core of our health agenda.
"This new hospital is an excellent example of a facility which has been carefully designed to meet these needs and will benefit staff, patients and their families alike."
The Minister's second visit of the day was to the new £80,000 Sensory Impairment Resource Centre, based at St John's Hospital, Livingstone.
Speaking during the official opening, Ms Deacon said:
"This is an excellent new facility which will respond to the needs of people with sensory impairment. The NHS in West Lothian and West Lothian Council are to be congratulated for their close, joint working in bringing about this development. I would also like to praise staff in the Trust's Ophthalmology department for their work to improve the advice and support services for people with sensory impairment.
"As a result this facility will offer community based support for people with sensory impairment and will support key organisations including Visual Impairment Scotland, Guide Dogs for the Blind, the Scottish Council on Deafness, and the Royal National Institute for the Blind, in their work.
"Those of us fortunate to have both sight and hearing can only imagine what it must be like to lack either or both of these faculties. That is why we at the Scottish Executive want to promote and provide services that serve people across the span of their needs and ensure that people with a physical disability have access to the care they need.
"I am therefore pleased to announce today that part of our Section 10 Grant allocations for the coming financial year will include - £33,990 to Deafblind UK, £8474 to the Scottish Council on Deafness and £32,000 to the British Deaf Association to further enhance their work with sensory impaired people."
BACKGROUND
1. Tippethill House - a joint venture between West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust and Care UK - will offer continuing care for 60 older people from the West Lothian area who require continuing care. Tippethill House Hospital is a PPP project, which replaces the former Tippethill Hospital in Armadale, West Lothian. This hospital provides long-term care for 30 frail elderly people and also 30 places for elderly
people with mental illness resettled from Bangour Village Hospital. Frail elderly patients from the old Tippethill Hospital moved into the new Baillie Wing at the new Tippethill Hospital in September 2000. This was followed by the elderly mentally infirm patients from Bangour Village Hospital who moved into the Rosebery Wing. The ages of the patients range from 65 to 85 years.
2. The Baillie Wing includes 22 single rooms with en-suite facilities, two double rooms with en-suite facilities, 1 4-bedded bay with en-suite facilities, a day room with a small dining area, three sitting areas, two assisted bathrooms, one assisted WC, two nurse stations and ancillary areas.
3. The Rosebery Wing contains 30 beds for older people with mental illness who require continuing care. It includes 22 single rooms with en-suite facilities, two four-bedded bays with en-suite facilities, three day rooms, two interlinked dining areas, two assisted bathrooms, one assisted shower, four assisted WCs, one Snoezlen, two nurses stations, and ancillary areas.
News Release: SE0825/2001
28 Mar 2001