Relocating Mental Health Services (Focus House)

Closed 28 Dec 2018

Opened 19 Nov 2018

Contact

0118 9374661

fh.consultation@reading.gov.uk

Feedback updated 16 May 2019

We asked

Your views on:

  • A proposed relocation of the Council’s mental health accommodation service (Focus House) from its main buildings at Castle Crescent
  • What is important about the service, now or for the future

You said

  • You agreed that the Council should continually improve its services, extend the Focus house service and increase access to other mental wellness activities and support.
  • You’d like a mixed approach – where some residents can move together into a new location and still receive onsite access to staff, with others moving into smaller, supported living accommodation elsewhere in the borough.
  • You said a ‘smooth transition’ is the biggest priority, as well as a safe and homely environment, and developing independence.

We did

 

  • We have taken on board the feedback you’ve given us and it is being considered alongside a wider review of our buildings.  We have used the feedback to explore some of the options going forward.
  • We have presented our key findings to Councillors and they have agreed to our recommendation to explore and discuss the options in more detail.

Results updated 16 May 2019

Files:

Overview

The Council is reviewing in-house services across Adult Social Care in order to ensure that services are sustainable and able to meet the need of our communities, now and in the future. 

As part of this process we are reviewing our facilities and the buildings that we run these services from, including Focus House services for mental health.  The Focus House service provides supported living accommodation and support for those recovering from mental health issues.  Supported living means that people are supported to live more independently and to take control of their life. 

The service is currently managed by Reading Borough Council and support is provided across four Council-owned properties:

  • 14 Castle Crescent
  • 16 Castle Crescent
  • 8 Bob Green Court
  • 295 Wensley Road

The Council has made a formal commitment to continue running this service, following a consultation last summer (2017).  However, in order to ensure the best use of our resources and meet the mental health needs of a wide range of people living in Reading, we need to consider alternative options for the location of this service.

Since July 2018, 14 Castle Crescent has also transferred from Residential Care to Supported Living accommodation.  As part of the supported living arrangement, residents have more choice and control over their accommodation and who delivers their care and support.  This choice and control could be better achieved by moving to a different location.

We are now consulting on the relocation of Focus House services (14 & 16 Castle Crescent only) and the proposed options going forward.  In particular we are interested in hearing from those who would be affected by this proposal or have an interest in the service and they are encouraged to feed into this consultation.  This includes:

  • Current residents of the above properties, their families and their carers
  • Staff of the Focus House service
  • Partners and stakeholders who work closely with Focus House e.g. GP’s, Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust
  • Anyone else who has an interest in mental health services in Reading

This survey sets out our proposals. Please take a few minutes to read through and share your views.

If you would like this survey in an alternative format or would like help with completing this survey, please email: fh.consultation@reading.gov.uk or call 0118 937 4661

Areas

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