Update on Review of Mental Health Services

A number of changes are being taken forward to develop and improve mental health services across Forth Valley following a detailed review.

The review of adult mental health and old age psychiatry services has been carried out over the last two years by NHS Forth Valley in partnership with local councils, staff, services users and carers.  It highlighted the need for closer and more efficient working between the different services such as Community Mental Health Teams and Day Hospitals and further work to improve the use of our specialist workforce within and between teams.

To help address this, a number of existing mental health services will relocate to accommodation on the Stirling and Falkirk Community Hospitals sites over the next nine months.  Adult mental health and social work services, currently based at Kildean Hospital, will move to the former Ward 30 at Stirling Community Hospital in winter 2012.

The Day Hospital, which provides a range of services and support for older people with mental illness, will move from Orchard House Health Centre to a Rehabilitation 'hub' which is being developed at Stirling Community Hospital in winter 2012. Day hospital services for older people with mental illness in the Falkirk are already based at Falkirk Community Hospital following the transfer of services from Bonnybridge Hospital at the end of 2011.

Adult mental health services from Dunrowan and Westbank will transfer to refurbished wards at Falkirk Community Hospital in Summer 2013.  The will bring the existing day units and community mental health team together on the same site in an environment which can fully support the delivery of modern, patient centred care. It will also provide a more joined up service which ensures patients get the right care and treatment, delivered by the right person at the right time.  

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), which provides assessment and intervention for children and young people with mental health difficulties and their families, will remain in the newly extended premises at the Manor, Brown Street in Camelon, Falkirk. Stirling and Clackmannanshire CAMHS, which are currently based at Randolph Road in Stirling, will move later next year to Stirling Community Hospital.

Forth Valley Substance Misuse Services, which include Community Alcohol and Drug and Alcohol Recovery Services, will be reorganised into two separate teams covering the North and South sectors. The North team is already based at Stirling Community Hospital and clinical and administrative staff will soon be joined by staff from Stirling Council's criminal justice substance misuse service to continue the integrated approach substance misuse care. The South team will be based in Falkirk Community Hospital and it is hoped the staff and services will relocate there by the end of 2012.

The Psychology Department, currently based at the University of Stirling, will move to Stirling Community Hospital in early 2013.  Psychology services for the Falkirk area will remain at Falkirk Community Hospital, in the former nurses home.

Kathy O'Neill, NHS Forth Valley General Manager for Community Health Services, said: "We have listened carefully to the views of mental health service users and their families and are confident that these moves will improve services and make it easier for people with mental illness to access the care and support.

"Bringing mental health services together on two key locations will also improve communication between staff, increase joint working between different services and provide a more joined-up and consistent approach to care across Forth Valley."