The Owenkillew Community Centre appeal to you for your support in helping us save our Day Care Centre for the elderly!

As part of the review of services for the elderly earlier this year the WHSCT took the decision to close Gortin Day Care facility. This decision was taken despite concerns being raised by users, political representatives and members of the community as to the many negative impacts of this decision. It has caused severe distress to the most vulnerable in our society who are shocked and saddened at the thought of this service being taken out of the area.

Gortin day care facility has been a valuable service since 1989, providing a lifeline to the most vulnerable and high dependency residents in our community. It is one of the health service success stories, delivered professionally and for the 14 current users it provides access to a social network, professional care, delivered in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The catchment area is one of the most rurally disadvantaged and isolated areas in Northern Ireland including the Owenkillew and Gortin wards which rank 1 and 37 respectively on the NISRA scale as most distant from services. This means that for many of the users it is the only opportunity to avail of a cooked lunch and have social interaction.

It is difficult to comprehend what benefits will be achieved by the decision and this is not outlined in the documentation. It is a further attack on rural services and the most vulnerable in our society most in need of support.

We the undersigned support the appeal to the Western Health and Social Care Trust to change their decision and retain the Day Care Centre in Gortin.
LETTER TO
Western Health and Social Care Trust
Save Our Centre! Don’t close our Day Care Centre for the elderly!

Use the link below to sign the petition.

https://www.change.org/p/western-health-and-social-care-trust-save-our-centre-don-t-close-our-day-care-centre-for-the-elderly?source_location=petitions_share_skip