A CONSULTATION on the future of mental health services provided at Woodside Day Centre in Dudley has gone live.

Protests have been taking place amid concerns that Dudley Council has been looking to cease the mental health day service it runs at the old Victorian school building and create a borough-wide hub as part of preventative services within adult social care as the old building is in need of significant investment.

Residents, however, can now have their say on the future of mental health services in the borough in a consultation which has just launched.

People are asked to complete a short questionnaire, which will ask them whether the existing day centre building should be closed or whether services should run from other buildings instead such as the Queen’s Cross Network, one-mile away from Woodside Day Centre.

Meetings are also taking place with service users at the day centre to ensure they have chance to air their views.

Councillor Nicolas Barlow, Dudley's cabinet member for health and adult social care, said: "It has been well documented nationally that the demand for mental health services has increased during the pandemic.

"We want to review the way we deliver services in Dudley to make sure we can reach as many people as possible, and they get the help and support they need.

"This is not about reducing the service, quite the opposite in fact. We want to build a service that can be tailor-made and adapt to suit the needs of individuals.

"We also want to consider where the service will be delivered from to ensure we provide a suitable environment for people to access vital services.

"Woodside Day Centre is an old building, that we think is no longer suitable to provide community services and I’m pleased we’re able to consider alternative locations as part of this work. One location being a stone’s throw away.

"I must stress that no decision about the future of Woodside day centre or how services will be delivered moving forward will be taken before this consultation is complete.

"We will always have the best interests of residents at heart and welcome their thoughts through the consultation."

People can complete the consultation online at https://www.dudley.gov.uk/council-community/get-involved/future-of-mental-health-services-consultation/ or click on the link higher up in the story.

It will close in the third week of November.

For anyone unable to complete the survey online, hard copies will be available at Dudley Council Plus (open Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm), borough libraries and Dudley Archives and Local History Centre on Tipton Road from October 25 onwards.