[EART HL I NG]

It is little over a year since the closure of the Tonbridge Community Mental Health Centre on the 17th January 2011 (see here: http://www.rethink.o...e-cmhc-closure/ )

But already I have heard from two different sources that now the Sevenoaks Community Mental Health Centre, (St Johns) is also set to close this year. This will leave just Tunbridge Wells CMHC (Highlands House) to serve Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.

As of yet I have no date but will post news as and when I here.

St Johns Community Mental Health Centre
3 St. Johns Road
Sevenoaks
Kent
TN13 3LR
Tel: 01732 470840
Fax: 01732 470841


Highlands House
10-12 Calverley Park Gardens
Tunbridge Wells
TN1 2JN

Tel: 01892 709200
Fax: 01892 536181

[mica]

This is crazy, what excuse do they have this time? maybe there are not enough people with mental illness in West Kent to warrant having a service at all. It is time we made a stand, most people who need these clinics are too ill too work and therefore do not have the funds or the mental energy to travel to appointments in other areas.

I love the way that these services are for the people but these changes are not discussed with those that use them, they are far too insignificant and unimportant. The great re-organisers who spend a fortune changing things that do not need to be changed instead of actually directing the funds to over real help and support to those who truly need it, need to think again. These people are not numbers or problems, just people who need some extra help to manage day to day.

[EART HL I NG]

Sevenoaks mental health clinic to close by September:

http://www.thisisken...tail/story.html

[manic666]

its like post offices , shut the small ones leave the large, they want us all at hospital centres not clinics with big expence for few patients.You carnt have 6 staff treating 2 people a day, mental patients are very bad time keeper,s an miss appointments, leaveing staff nothing to do till the next. where in hospital 2 strikes an your out , plus the staff can help other in patients when faced with a cancelation. down to money im affraid.

[mld]

It's happening in the Canterbury and coastal region too. They're closing Laurel House in Canterbury and Durham House in Hernebay.

Where will groups meet? There's our Hearing Voices Group for example, which will be homeless. Why they have to sell off all their property, I'm not sure. KMPT has a lot to answer for.

M.

[EART HL I NG]

I don't buy into these "efficiency measures" as it's all smoke and mirrors as far as I'm concerned.
It's obviously a cost saving exercise but one that will no doubt come at a great cost, (not necessarily monetary) to those who rely on the services these centres provide.

I fear that this short term policy of cutting community psychiatric services will only lead to a greater burden being placed on families, carers, GP practices, A&E departments, Churches, homeless charities, and even police, prison and probation services etc. - the list is almost endless and the cost in terms of individual suffering is unquantifiable.

It's another case of unjoined up policy by the government - one department making savings leading to a greater burden being placed on another department, (any of the above).

It's not new either this has being going on for decades but it's going to get a lot worse in the next 5 years - who knows what it will be like then.

[mica]

See the comment in the Sevenoaks Courier(March 2012) by Matt, which says that people will not lose services because they will be visited in their own homes, which they prefer. He knows, because he has been doing this job for 7 years.
We have services available 24 hours a day. Obviously there will be no need to travel to Tunbridge Wells or Maidstone for other services, seeing a psychiatrist or any therapy group. No mention of the fact that the sale of the building was decided well over a year ago, to the church for a goodly sum as documented in the Kent and Medway plans for their estates. Could this closure just be about making enough money to become a foundation trust and not about those who need the services.