New community mental health hub unveiled in Redditch
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust has unveiled a new hub for community mental health services at Redditch Town Hall.
This follows a collaboration between the Trust and Redditch District Council’s multi-agency hub project, which will see the development of a community services hub within the Town Hall.
The Trust is one of the first organisations to move into the building, with teams from NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Talking Therapies, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) now occupying parts of the ground and first floor.
This section of the building has been fully renovated to an exacting standard and features bespoke treatment rooms, consulting rooms, open-plan office space, and several meeting rooms.
A new and dedicated NHS entrance from Walter Stranz Square provides patients with direct access to the hub’s reception area.
Mark Fenton, Associate Director Estates & Facilities Management at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, said: “Working collaboratively with Redditch District Council, we’ve been able to use surplus Council House space to create first class and sustainable healthcare environments from which our services are delivered.
“I believe the new hub is going to enhance the experiences of our patients, while providing staff with modern, purpose-built facilities that will assist them in delivery of high-quality patient care”.
Rachel Maclean, MP for Redditch, explained: “This major investment in mental health services in Redditch will ensure residents continue to receive the treatment they need in first-class facilities.
“I heard directly from staff at the opening of the new hub about how excited they are to work in the new facilities at the Community Hub and how they believe it improves the experience for patients.”
Councillor Matt Dormer, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Planning, Economic Development, Commercialism and Partnerships, added: “For a long time people in Redditch have talked about bringing local services together under one roof, because of the benefits it can bring, from improved services to more-sustainable buildings and of course better value for the taxpayer.
“I'm delighted we've now been able to do our part and bring the NHS and other partners together so we can deliver even more for residents via this project which is the first in the country.
“The work the NHS has done here is looking fantastic. The Town Hall has chopped and changed as it’s moved with the times over the past 40 years, but we’ve never seen it transformed like this. It’s exciting to see it serve another generation of residents at the heart of Redditch.”
The project is the latest phase of a larger plan to exit the ageing Smallwood House, which forms part of a Council-designated regeneration zone. The remaining Podiatry service is set to move to new premises in nearby William Street early in 2024.