THE decision to close Rosyth Resource Centre has been slammed by families and politicians who say it will hit elderly people with dementia the hardest.

Local councillor Samantha Steele said it made "no sense" and would force dozens of vulnerable service users from the town to travel to Dunfermline for day care.

A report said user numbers were dropping and the proposal was passed last Thursday at the meeting of the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership Board.

The centre, on Granville Way, will close in November while day care at the weekend, at the Jean Mackie Centre in Dunfermline, will also be stopped.

Cllr Steele, a qualified nurse and midwife said: “The problem is with the inadequate referral system, not with lower demand. This decision makes no sense as as the majority of users are from Rosyth. A total of 44 elderly people from the town will now be forced out to centres elsewhere.

“There are people there with dementia, some in advanced stages. Familiarity with their routine – time, place and person – is vital to their health. I will be seeking reassurances that there shall be a full and detailed consultation with all service users and their carers.”

In a bid to modernise day centre service Fife Council have been reviewing social care provision and say there is less demand for traditional day services, such as those provided at Rosyth Resource Centre. However, service users and families reacted angrily.

Sandra Stevenson's 90-year-old father attends Rosyth Resource Centre and she said: “I am livid. Myself and other carers were not involved in this and our opinions have not been heard.

“It appears this is a done deal and I am so so angry. My father is hard of hearing and has limited mobility, he looks forward to going to the centre. He’s suffered a heart attack recently and with the news that the centre is close he said to me, ‘There’s no point in going on.’ “They’ve just dropped a bombshell. How can they decide what’s best for my father without our say?”

In 2015 a £77 million gap in Fife Council’s budget put the day centre under threat, but proposals to close it were not followed up. Just a year later, they ruled out any possibility of closure, and now they have reversed the decision again.

Douglas Chapman MP said: “I know of many families who use the centre. It’s a real lifeline to those who have to support a relative who may have dementia or another serious condition. I hope that a lot more detail can be provided as to the impact this decision might have on service users and their families.”

David Heaney, of FHSCP, said: “This is not a withdrawal of service but a redesign and re-provision to offer more choice and flexibility in the way services are delivered. Service users and families and all those currently in receipt of a service will now be offered a range of alternative options to meet their needs.

“We fully recognize that the current day service we provide is highly valued and this change will raise some concerns. Over the coming weeks and months we will work very closely with everyone involved to discuss individual service user needs and ensure the transition to the new arrangements is as smooth as possible.”

A petition against the decision can be found at www.change.org/p/fife-health-and-social-care-partnership-save-rosyth-resource-centre.