Top doctor quits NI board in relocation row

A top brain doctor charged with overseeing the future of the North’s medical care has quit after claiming generations of patients will be affected by inadequate facilities.

Dr Gavin McDonnell stepped down from a board overseeing the relocation of neurology services in Belfast in disgust.

He claimed managers behind the planned temporary accommodation were reduced to moving around furniture in a vain effort to provide enough space for sufferers.

“Now we have a plan for a unit that will fail patients in almost every important aspect of their journey through the facility and for an indefinite period, potentially many years,” he said.

“Given the nature of the conditions catered for, generations of patients will be affected.”

Those affected include patients with MS, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and many others.

Services are to be shifted from Forster Green in south Belfast to a temporary centre at Musgrave Park in the west of the city.

Dr McDonnell has written to the Assembly’s health committee highlighting the matter and Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has also be informed.

Shortcomings include inadequate bed space, dining and day areas which are too small, limited room for therapy and areas for social work.

The consultant neurologist also said there were issues around the control of infection and management of patients with behavioural disturbance.

“It is now clear that my further participation is entirely futile. I am therefore withdrawing from the Project Board,” he added.

“Sadly the Project Board is no more than a vehicle to bypass clinical opinion and deliver an outcome apparently predetermined two years ago by individuals not responsible for the care of patients in this unit.

“The space available has not grown by an inch since I was belatedly invited on to the Project Board and the temporary/interim/decant nature of the proposed facility remains to be established, there being no timeline for an appropriate facility.”