A mental health hub for Isle of Wight residents in the centre of Newport is a step closer.
The integrated mental health care hub will offer a range of support from Newport High Street, as demand grows for services after the Covid pandemic.
Hub in former shops
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust recently took over the former HMV and Poundland store as a place to make some of its mental health services more accessible and allow people to find out more.
It is also hoped the more centralised, public location would destigmatise mental health by providing a service outside of St Mary’s Hospital or other healthcare settings.
What it will offer
The hub plan was unveiled over a year ago following concerns about how to get Islanders talking about their mental health.
The care hub will provide primary care support, specialist services and spaces for local communities as well as consultation and clinics.
Discreet entrance for those in crisis
Planning documents unveiling the empty building’s transformation say it is intended to be a safe space for people who are having an immediate mental health crisis.
To help that, a new discreet entrance will be created at the rear of the building, directly into some therapy spaces.
The trust has recently seen increasing pressures on its mental health services with a pattern now emerging of people presenting later in their illness, when they are more acutely unwell.
New lift to access all floors
As part of the transformation plans, submitted to the Isle of Wight Council, a lift would be added to make all three floors accessible, new windows and doors will be installed as well as a rooftop plant room enclosure.
Planners say as the building would accommodate visiting mental health patients it was important the windows provide as much natural light as possible to provide an open and calm atmosphere.
View the plans
You can view the plans, 22/00738/FUL, on the council’s planning register.
The public consultation runs until 27th May.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: Lex Photography under CC BY 2.0
