Legal News

A £3.1 million health centre is being planned for central Middlesbrough to replace existing mental health facilities.

Local publisher the Gazette reports that the existing mental health facility – the Parkside Mental Health Resource Centre will be vacated by the end of 2014 and is due to be demolished. The unit formed part of the former Middlesbrough Maternity Hospital, but Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Foundation Trust has applied for planning permission to build a major new centre for mental health patients, which would replace the two existing premises.

The trust report is due to go before the planning committee at Middlesbrough Council and reads:

“The existing facilities are in a poor state of repair and not fit for purpose in the context of offering modern, efficient mental health care.”

Once the existing building is demolished it will be replaced with a three-storey building. The cost of building the new unit would be the same as renovation costs for the existing facilities.

Mental health services currently provided by Lakeside Mental Health Resource Centre will move to the new building.

Both of Middlesbrough’s mental health units currently treat mental health patients who do not require inpatient care at an acute unit.

Director of Operations for Teesside at TEWV, David Brown, said that mental health patients would benefit from being treated in modernised facilities. Mr Brown said that a third mental health facility, Park House, will remain on the site at Parkside.

“We currently have a psychosis team based at Parkside – and an effective team at Lakeside. The new Parkside will provide one base for both teams.

“We see patients in a number of places – their own homes, doctors’ surgeries, the centres, lots of different places. Patients will continue to be treated wherever it’s needed,” he added.

Effective healthcare is a component of The NHS Plan and involves promoting teamwork within a health organisation to improve patient care – including introducing flexible approaches to healthcare between clinicians with different specialties, rather than a hierarchical approach. Team leadership to support health workers is also considered vital to the success of Effective Teams in delivering patient care.

The new development is expected to be completed in 2016 – and once the existing building is vacated and demolished, mental health teams will be based in premises opposite Roseberry Park Hospital in Middlesbrough.

The trust’s plan to redevelop the existing mental health premises into a single building facility was opened up to public consultation. The new building would meet government targets for mental health care.

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of mental health solicitors – and the largest provider of Legal Aid mental health services in the UK.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors regularly visit hospitals, police stations and prisons to advise on mental health law – and are available nationwide for short-notice appointments.

For expert legal advice on mental health care – including access to services and detention under the Mental Health Act – call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 0203 114 1124.