There’s still time for people to comment on the future of mental health services in Dudley borough.

Dudley Council is running a consultation, available online or in libraries and Dudley Council Plus until November 21.

The council currently operates a mental health day service at Woodside day centre, an old Victorian school building, which is in need of significant investment. The building has been closed during the course of the pandemic and services delivered to residents in a different way.

Residents are being consulted on whether to close that building permanently and run services from a number of other buildings instead such as the Queen’s Cross Network, one mile away from Woodside day centre.

People are asked to complete the short questionnaire, which will ask them to consider the future of services being delivered at Woodside day centre, their thoughts on alternative locations and the future of mental health services in the borough.

Meetings are being held with existing service users at Woodside day centre to ensure they have their say as part of the consultation. Councillor Nicolas Barlow, cabinet member for health and adult social care, said:

"Thank you to anyone who has already taken the time to complete the survey, it’s really important we understand the needs and thoughts of local people so we can deliver a mental health service fit for the future.

"I must continue to stress that no decision about the future use of Woodside day centre will be recommended until the consultation comes to an end.
We are committed to delivering and improving our mental health provision and this is part of making that happen."

People can complete the consultation online. It will close in the third week of November.

For people who unable to complete the survey online, hard copies of the survey are available at Dudley Council Plus (open Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm), borough libraries and Dudley Archives and Local History Centre on Tipton Road.