Future of care centre hangs in the balance

THE future of the Glenumore Senior Citizens Care Centre hangs in the balance after it was announced that the services of a doctor would not longer be available to the centre.

The centre, which has for more than 30 years successfully provided a chronic medication service to pensioners of Glenwood, Umbilo and Glenmore, will from 4 September no longer enjoy the services of a doctor to renew patients’ six-month chronic medication prescriptions and chairperson, Irene van Middelkoop was also informed that the pharmacy responsible for supplying the care centre with medication, would also be closing down.

“I have been told that with the implementation of the NHI, the Health Department will be doing away with clinics and patients will need to go to their mother institution for their chronic medication every six months. I have been liaising with the department but I can’t seem to find out any information as there is nothing in writing indicating that we will definitely need to close down,” she said.

She said she couldn’t even advise patients which hospital they should go to, as she was unable to ascertain what the ‘mother’ institution was, and said she had informed patients that if they had been to Addington, King Edward or King Dinizulu Hospitals before, they should go there as they would be registered at these institutions.

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“This is very unfortunate. If elderly patients need to go to Addington Hospital, they will need to take three buses to get there, and it will cost them around R50,” she said.

Irene said the uncertaintly surrounding their threatened closure would affect a number of people who lived in the area and made use of the service offered at the centre.

“The last few months have been very insecure and we haven’t accepted any new patients for this reason. We have run a wonderful service for 30 years, I don’t know why we should have to stop. We have seven sisters and admin staff who are very willing to carry on. They are volunteers and enjoy their work at the care centre,” she said.

She said the centre was in the process of applying to become a pick-up point for medication, but had been informed that the Health Department had run out of funds so this had been put on hold.

“We realise we are probably going to have to close down, but we want to still run as a pick-up point,” she said.

The Department of Health was approached for comment, but Berea Mail has had no feedback.