Worried wait goes on over plans for women's mental hospital in Rainworth

The proposal to part-demolish the former Churchfield Care Centre on Churchfield Drive, off Southwell Road East, and create a 32-bed hospital, including for patients with ‘personality disorders’, first surfaced last April.

Newark and Sherwood District Council initially set a deadline date of June for a decision or recommendation. But officers continue to pore over documents and submissions connected to the planning application, which was submitted by Cygnet Health Care, an independent provider of mental health services across the UK.

While the delay goes on, many Rainworth residents are expressing their concerns, claiming the site is not suitable for such a hospital and would lead to safety risks, extra traffic congestion, noise pollution and a loss of privacy, causing “unacceptable harm”.

Comments posted on the council’s website include one from a neighbour, which says: “Churchfield Drive is a quiet, residential cul-de-sac with a strong community of families and elderly residents who value the area’s peaceful nature.

"This proposal represents a significant departure from the character of the area and could lead to increased anxiety and unease among residents.”

Several people have also pointed out that the mental hospital would be close to schools and play parks used by children, raising “reasonable concerns about safeguarding”.

One woman said: “Should the patients escape…...this would be an extreme danger to all residents, especially children.”

Another person commented: “There would be no significant security buffer or separation. This raises a clear risk to the safety of children and other vulnerable residents.”

On the congestion fears, a resident said: “The surrounding roads are narrow and unsuitable for the level of traffic generated by a 24-hour hospital.”

Churchfield Care Centre, which catered for up to 60 residents, closed in 2022 after being rated ‘Requires Improvement’ by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors.

The CQC heard that demand for the home was falling, with only 16 people living there, and that it had been blighted by upheaval and management changes.

The centre, which dates back to the 1990s and comprises two buildings, has been empty and unused since. But the 1.27-acre site was bought by Cygnet Health Care in the summer for an undisclosed fee.

Established in 1988 and a trusted partner of the NHS, Cygnet has built a reputation for providing a wide range of pioneering services for people with mental health needs. It operates more than 150 centres, with more than 2,500 beds, across the country.

“Dedicated to delivering compassionate, specialised care”, it has a team of 10,000 employees, and 83 per cent of its services are rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by the CQC.

The company proposes to knock down one of the two buildings at Churchfield and upgrade and refurbish the other to create “a high-quality, much-needed mental-health support service and residential care unit for women”.

Cygnet is confident the fears of residents can be allayed. A planning statement says: “The proposal would result in significant investment and see the site brought back into productive use.

"The hospital would support women with mental-health issues, providing a safe and comfortable environment to promote successful recovery.

"Specially trained staff would provide therapeutic support to improve the women’s quality of life. Cygnet's aim is to understand and support women, to help build their resilience and enable them to return to a healthy and fulfilling life.”

The hospital would create 113 jobs in roles such as management, consultants, clinical posts, support workers, maintenance and administration.

Typically, staff would work from 8 am to 6 pm during the day, with night employees and security on duty from 6 pm to 8 am.

It is anticipated that the new hospital would dovetail with the Sherwood Lodge mental-health care facility that Cygnet already runs on nearby Rufford Colliery Lane.

"Churchfield would provide short-term in-patient services for female patients in crisis, including those diagnosed with personality disorders,” the statement continues.

"These services are designed to enable early recovery and safe re-integration into the community, complementing NHS services and significantly easing the pressure on existing hospital wards.”

Patients would be referred to the hospital, which would not be open to the public. Their ‘care pathway' would take from eight weeks to 15 months.

Cygnet stresses that, despite heavy demand, there is “a critical shortfall” in mental-health services, particularly for women, with other hospitals in the East Midlands “operating at 100 per cent capacity”.

"The addition of capacity in Rainworth would enable more patients to receive care closer to home,” the statement adds.

"Churchfield presents an ideal location. The proposed hospital would be designed and operated to the highest standards.”

THE details of many planning applications can be found in public notices advertised by local and regional newspapers. To catch up on all the latest public notices, go to https://publicnoticeportal.uk/