Council pressed on potential fallout if Northampton mental healthcare charity closes
Concerns raised over patient care and employment impact
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has been called on to explain how it would deal with the fallout should the “unthinkable” happen and the county’s largest specialist mental healthcare charity be forced to close down.
Last month, St Andrew’s Healthcare announced the termination of Workbridge, a support centre in Northampton for those with complex mental health needs. The charity said the closure follows a thorough review of its services to form part of a broader plan to ensure St Andrew’s Healthcare remains financially sustainable.
It also came after the mental healthcare provider had its rating downgraded to ‘inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission.
Speaking last Thursday (November 27) at WNC’s full council meeting, Labour group leader Cllr Sally Keeble asked council leader Mark Arnull to set out what thought the authority had given to the care and employment consequences of a potential closure of the whole service, and whether it could do anything to help.
She said: “We’ve already seen that CAMHS is closed, the dementia care is closed, the Workbridge is due to close before we meet here next, and that is a much-loved and much-valued part of Northampton life.
“There’s also actually fears for St Andrew’s as a whole. Some people say it is ‘too big to fail’, but it is very severely challenged and there are real concerns for people about their long-term employment and also, of course, about the care services
“It would be really helpful if you would give a verbal assurance, as well as give the information in writing, as to what the council is doing.
“What discussions it’s having with St Andrew’s and also what approaches it’s making to MPs and government and others to make sure that, if the worst does happen, there will be proper arrangements for the placement of residents, bearing in mind that a lot of residents come from outside Northampton.
“And also what’s going to happen with employment, because St Andrew’s is a major employer here, particularly for young people. It’s thinking the unthinkable, but it does have to be thought about fairly seriously, given the services that have already closed there.”
Cllr Arnull replied: “We’ve asked our colleagues in council departments to look at options in which we can continue to support St Andrew’s and if possible if not directly, indirectly, and I’m happy to write back to you what that looks like.
“St Andrew’s is a private establishment, as we know, and I will need to take advice.”
Cabinet member for adult care and public health, Cllr Laura Couse, also added that she was liaising with Workbridge to ensure continuity of care and was expecting an update from them, which she agreed to share.
A spokesperson for St Andrew’s Healthcare told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We have taken the difficult decision to close Workbridge and we have also consolidated some wards to improve patient care and hospital efficiency. These decisions follow a thorough review of our services.
“These plans form part of a broader strategy to ensure St Andrew’s Healthcare remains financially sustainable and can focus on delivering specialist care for patients with complex mental health needs.”