Closure fears for mental health unit

Published on 15th March 2007 in News

Facing a serious closure threat: Bartholomew House.

A local carer has warned that a centre in Goole for people with mental health problems could be shut down and has called upon residents to put up the same fight as they did for Holland House.

The reader, who did not want to be named, told the Goole Times that Bartholomew House is facing a serious threat of closure.

"This unit was built for the people of Goole and is yet another good service that we are about to lose," the carer said.

"The good people of Goole fought bravely against the closure of Holland House. Could we now fight against the closure of Bartholomew House?"

A spokesperson for Humber Mental Health, who run the centre at the corner of Bartholomew Avenue and Boothferry Road, said a consultation pack on the area's mental health service was being put together and would be launched in the next few weeks.

It is intended that the local service will reflect national trends, with more patients being assessed and treated at home instead of being admitted to hospital.

"We must get the balance right between better community-based care and high-quality therapeutic inpatient care in good facilities," said Angie Mason, director of nursing and service delivery.

"The proposal will include consolidating current wards and having a new in-patient facility for older-age adults in the East Riding in a fit-for-purpose new building.

"We will also reconfigure the current in-patient facilities for adults to make best use of our resources.

"We are putting plans in place to talk to patients and carers on an individual basis, as well as launching a full public consultation in the coming weeks.

"We are looking into all the implications the proposals may have for our service users, including transport issues."

* The Rivers Ward at Goole Hospital, which catered for elderly patients with mental health problems, is currently closed.