Views sought on the future of mental health services
People are being urged to have their say on the future of services for people in need of mental health services in Dudley borough.
Dudley Council has operated a mental health day service at Woodside day centre, an old Victorian school building, which is in need of significant investment.
Residents are being consulted on whether to close that building and run the services from a number of other buildings instead such as the Queen’s Cross Network, one mile away from Woodside day centre.
People are asked to complete a short questionnaire, which will ask them to consider the future of services being delivered at Woodside day centre, their thoughts on alternative locations and the future of mental health services in the borough.
Meetings are being held with existing service users at Woodside day centre to ensure they have their say as part of the consultation.
Councillor Nicolas Barlow, cabinet member for health and adult social care, said:
It has been well documented nationally that the demand for mental health services has increased during the pandemic.
We want to review the way we deliver services in Dudley to make sure we can reach as many people as possible, and they get the help and support they need.
This is not about reducing the service, quite the opposite in fact. We want to build a service that can be tailor-made and adapt to suit the needs of individuals.
We also want to consider where the service will be delivered from to ensure we provide a suitable environment for people to access vital services.
Woodside day centre is an old building, that we think is no longer suitable to provide community services and I’m pleased we’re able to consider alternative locations as part of this work. One location being a stone’s throw away.
I must stress that no decision about the future of Woodside day centre or how services will be delivered moving forward will be taken before this consultation is complete.
We will always have the best interests of residents at heart and welcome their thoughts through the consultation.
People can complete the consultation online at – https://www.dudley.gov.uk/council-community/get-involved/future-of-mental-health-services-consultation/
The consultation will close in the third week of November.
For people who are unable to complete the survey online, hard copies of the survey will be available at Dudley Council Plus (open Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm), borough libraries and Dudley Archives and Local History Centre on Tipton Road from next week (October 25 onwards).