Hospital to close in services shake-up

Birch Day Hospital, on the Bushey Fields Hospital site, is being shut to make way for a new mental health service that will see some patients treated at home.

The decision has been made by Dudley & Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, which believes it will make it easier for patients to get help.

A trust spokesman said: “We are working with patients and families to support them safely through the transition of care.”

Careful consideration was taken over the closure, the trust says, and comes after a public consultation was launched.

As part of the restructure, patients will be able to seek assessment every day of the week. They will also be entitled to three visits a day from a carer.

The service will be aimed at older people and has been given the go ahead by Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group.

The spokesman added: “Patients that require psychological interventions will still be able to access these services and we are exploring options to deliver these closer to home in the community.

“The new service will provide enhanced support for patients including a specialist older adult home treatment service, bringing care closer to home and avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions. Alongside this, assessment for patients in the community will be extended to seven days a week.

“The change in service will involve the closure of the Birch Day Hospital and the provision of alternative care for patients previously accessing this service, all of whom were consulted with earlier this year.

“This decision comes after careful consideration of patient need and how best we can support patients to stay well in the community.”

The role of the hospital was to assess and treat patients and reduce their visits to hospital over mental health issues. Each patient of the hospitalwill be offered a chance to speak with the hospital about what kind of help they will require after closure.

The move will also see cash set aside to create new mental health services for patients suffering with dementia, which will be delivered through the Dudley Dementia Gateways.

Walsall Councillor Ian Robertson, cabinet member for health, said: “I wouldn’t applaud the reduction of facilities. One likes to have as many facilities open to patients as possible.”