NHS Trust eyes up empty offices in Northampton to create mental health call centre and therapy hub

Two empty offices in Northampton could be used by the NHS to create a hub of mental health support services to help potentially thousands of residents.

Albert House and Victoria House, on Victoria Street, are two nearly identical offices that have stood empty for nearly two years.

Now, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is considering using the space to create a new centre for mental health care services in Northampton.

It includes plans to create a call centre staffed by registered mental health nurses as well as a face-to-face patient contact area, made up of therapy spaces and interview rooms.

A report put to Northampton Borough Council's planning board reads: "The NHS are rapidly expanding their Mental Health Services... They currently have approximately 20 staff in this service but need to grow by 20-30 a year for the next five years. This is to respond to the substantial increase in funding for mental health services and to create greater and easier access for patients.

"Within the proposed development, 82 employees could be accommodated on the second floor within a call-centre type environment... Approximately 40 of the 'call centre' spaces will be occupied by resgistered mental health nurses, others community nurses and other services.

"The first floor will have 70 workstations and will be used by professional nursing staff, registered mental health nurses and other medical staff... The ground floor will be used for face to face patient contact such as interview rooms, clinical rooms and group therapy space."

Alongside this, the two offices would be used bring together a number of existing services from other lcoations in the county, including Single Point of Access for Community Nursing services, Patient Contact Centre, the Children's Referral Management Centre and 0-19 Children's Services Hub.

The services would likely compliment existing mental health services in nearby Campbell House.