Hove rehab centre to become home for people with mental health needs

A community rehabilitation centre for older people leaving hospital is to become a home for young people with mental health needs.

The proposed change to Knoll House, in Ingram Crescent West, in Hove, was announced today (Tuesday 3 September) by Brighton and Hove City Council.

An initial decision about the proposed change is expected to be made next week by the council’s Health and Wellbeing Board.

The council said: “A proposal to change the kind of care delivered at Knoll House adult social care centre will be considered at a meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board on Tuesday 10 September.

“Knoll House is expected to become available soon for new council services.

“The changing needs of the city’s residents mean there is now a focus on prioritising mental health services.

“The plan is for Knoll House to deliver either

• lower level supported accommodation for younger adults with mental health needs to help them live more independently or
• accommodation for young people with higher levels of mental health needs but who do not require hospital treatment

“Knoll House, along with the council’s base at Craven Vale, in Brighton, currently delivers therapy and rehabilitation services for older people coming out of hospital with lower level needs.

“The nursing care at both centres was until recently provided by the local NHS.

“But health and social care needs locally and across the country are changing.

“More and more people are leaving hospital with high levels of complex needs and needing nursing care 24-7.

“There has also been a big increase in the number of younger adults with mental health needs who need residential care.

“Knoll House and Craven Vale are not best placed to deliver these higher levels of care.

“So earlier this year the NHS told the council it was going to stop delivering nursing care at the centres, and deliver their rehabilitation services in other ways.

“The NHS have assured us there will be no reduction in the capacity or quality of their rehabilitation services.

“However, as a result both Craven Vale and Knoll House are not able to admit as many people and are currently operating well below capacity.

“Consultation is under way with staff on plans to merge the two services and consolidate them into a single centre.

“This would offer respite care and support hospital discharge for people with less complex needs who no longer need hospital care but who are not yet well enough to move home.

“The council has stated clearly that it intends to avoid compulsory redundancies in the merger process.

“Craven Vale is the preferred site for this because it is much nearer to the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

“It is hoped that the merger and move to Craven Vale will be completed by the beginning of October.

“The Health and Wellbeing Board is being asked to give the go-ahead for full business cases to be worked up for the two proposed options for Knoll House.

“These would be brought back to the board in January for a decision on a preferred way forward.”

The board’s chair, Councillor Clare Moonan, said: “We are very proud of the excellent care that has been delivered at Knoll House and Craven Vale over many years.

“But we can’t afford to stand still – we have to adapt our services to the changing needs of our population.

“We will engage with partners and local residents as we develop these new ideas for Knoll House into more detailed proposals.

“The council is committed to working with our NHS colleagues to make sure all our residents can get the health care and support they need now and in the future.”