Dudley drop-in centre remains open
A drop-in centre has been given a 12 month stay of execution after campaigners fought to keep it open saying its services were vital.
Dove House in Dudley helps provide support and advice sessions for people with mental health conditions in the borough.
It is based on the grounds of Bushey Fields Hospital and is staffed and supported by independent mental health charity Dudley Mind.
The closure-threatened centre will remained staffed for the present time under the revised plan but this will be kept under review.
See also: New review on threat to Dudley drop-in centre future.
Officials from the charity said eventually Dove House would have to be run by volunteers within a year.
The centre currently provided a range of day activities and also serves as a meeting place each week for those who used it.
Bosses told users of the centre, on the Russells Hall estate, earlier this year that the services at the centre would shut under a shake-up scheme.
Health officials instead wanted the centre to be used by inpatients from the hospital's wards during the run-up to leaving hospital and move services into the community.
See also: £3m for new nurses at Dudley Hospitals.
In its place the drop-in facilities will continue to run at other locations, such as community centres, and peer support groups will also be started.
But campaigners vowed to make their concerns heard hold public protests outside Dudley Council meetings and forced meetings with charity officials.
They said it provides a vital meeting place for people and this would be lost if services were moved elsewhere
One of the campaigners, Joy Collins, today said: "We are pleased it is staying open at the moment but this all started with them not talking to us properly before making the decision so we'll keep an eye on the situation."
Dudley Mind chief executive, Martin Mueller, confirmed the Dove House would remain open three days a week at least the next 12 months.
"It is correct that representatives from the service users have taken part in designing and reviewing the consultation exercise undertaken over the summer.
"Staffing is intended to drop over time to just one member of staff and service users will be assisted to take a greater role in managing the drop-in themselves.
"Our experience over the coming year will help us plan how best to ensure that people get the support they need should the drop-in at Dove House eventually become fully self-managed by the people who use it."
