Urgent calls are being made to address the staffing crisis at a much-needed respite facility in Dungannon.
Sinn Féin Councillor Nuala McLernon has urged Mid Ulster District Council officers to redouble their efforts to secure a meeting with management at Woodlawn House, and to get the Department of Health to look into staffing issues at the facility.
The issue of care provision for adults with complex needs is one which 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.
Read more: Mother of ‘vulnerable’ woman voices frustration at loss of respite transportation since pandemic
Woodlawn House is an eight-bed facility catering for individuals with complex needs which cannot be adequately met in other care settings.
The venue provides short breaks of around a week for individuals aged 18 and over with a learning disability, complex needs and challenging behaviour.
As far back as last April, Councillor McLernon had already stressed the urgent need for staffing issues to be resolved – that was at a Council meeting of Mid Ulster District Council held on April 24.
She said at the time: “I want to raise here tonight the provision of adult respite – or should I say, the lack of provision.
“Families have been in touch with me regarding the respite provision being cancelled at short notice, due to significant workforce challenges at Woodlawn House in Dungannon.
“This is an issue that I’ve repeatedly raised here. I brought a Motion calling for more adequate respite provision for adults.
“I’ve pointed out repeatedly that the eight-bed facility in Dungannon is not sufficient to deal with the immense pressures, and the demand for these vital services within the Mid Ulster district and the Southern Trust area, and that more provision is needed.
“This is not a criticism of Woodlawn House or their staff, but again a call to the Department of Health and the Southern Trust to step up and deliver a service that is not only sustainable, but meets the needs of its service users.
“Families have received letters from the Southern Trust stating that Woodlawn is facing high levels of vacancies and high levels of [absenteeism] due to sickness.
“The Trust has given assurances that all has been done to assist Woodlawn, but I feel that we as a council need to step in.
“We owe it to the service users and the families and the staff of Woodlawn, to offer whatever advice and help we can to help them through this.
“I propose that we reach out to Woodlawn in the first instance, to offer to meet with them as a council to see what we can do to help them overcome these workforce challenges, as well as make representation to the Southern Trust and the Department of Health, [urging them] to step up to the plate.
“Families should not have to pay the price for a staffing crisis at a critically needed respite facility in our district.”
Councillor McLernon’s proposal was seconded at the time by Councillor Deirdre Varsani (Sinn Féin, Dungannon DEA).
Three months on, at the July 24 monthly meeting of the local authority, the Sinn Féin councillor was anxious to pursue the matter, given the lack of progress, to date.
Councillor McLernon said: “It’s just to ask for an update with regard an issue I raised a few months ago on the staffing crisis at Woodlawn House, and the impact this is having on respite provision.
“I proposed at the time that we write to the Minister of Health to raise the issue, and to reach out to Woodlawn House to offer a meeting, to see what we can do to help.
“I don’t think the issue has been completely resolved as respite – although being provided – is still being reduced, and families are in constant fear it’s going to be cancelled.
“Have we had any response back from the Minister of Health on this issue, and also anything back from Woodlawn House?”
A Council officer informed the Torrent DEA councillor: “We have been in contact with [representatives from] Woodlawn House, and we actually have endeavoured to get a meeting together.
“A member of staff has been in touch with the manager up there, who has in turn been in touch with their management within the Southern Trust, and we actually have endeavoured to get a meeting and to get them to respond to us, but unfortunately that has failed to yield a result with us being able to secure a meeting with them.
“But I have spoken with the officer today, just to follow up on that again, and we will again reach out [as we have done] every month, to see where things are at.
“As for correspondence from the Minister for Health, I don’t believe we are in receipt of any correspondence around that, but we’ll look into that.”
Councillor McLernon urged the Council officer to pursue the matter, adding: “Maybe write out back to them just to ask for an update. Thank you.”
