Go ahead for £497k mental health project
Sewell Advisory are project managing a project in the North East to improve mental health facilities at a LIFT health centre.
The £497k project at One Life Hartlepool Medical Centre (OLH) to remodel underutilised space has now begun, which will allow an adult community mental health team at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) to move into newly upgraded space on the ground and first floor of the building. The project will see the mental health team relocate to a modern, core, accessible health centre within the heart of the community, providing a high-quality therapeutic environment for service users and NHS staff.
Community Health Partnerships (CHP) has provided £497k in capital funding, and this investment will enable the reconfiguration of underutilised space on the ground and first floors of One Life Hartlepool, and once completed, the building will be fully utilised.
The project reached financial close in February, with CHP capital funding enabling the project reconfiguration works to begin in March 2025, with the work expected to take approximately four months.
Sewell Advisory is working in partnership with stakeholders including the teams at TEWV, NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB, Durham and Tees Community Ventures (LIFTCo) and CHP on the project.
The adult mental health community team will move from their current base into a modern, core, accessible health centre in the heart of the community. Placing mental health teams in community buildings such as One Life helps to reduce mental health stigma. Also, for TEWV staff, the upgraded area enables closer working with other services based in One Life Hartlepool, which will improve access for more people.
The re-modelling project across two floors, will also provide an improved therapeutic environment for service users on the ground floor of One Life Hartlepool. Facilities include:
- a remodelled reception area
- seven clinical rooms
- a ‘quiet call’ room to talk to service users
- three upgraded toilets, including an accessible toilet
- administration rooms, hot desk areas, and a meeting room
Previously, these areas in One Life Hartlepool were occupied by a sexual health service and a minor injuries unit; these teams had vacated the space previously. The building will be fully utilised and occupied once the project is completed.
Jane Fitch, Regional Director North East, Community Health Partnerships, said:
“Moving the community adult mental health team from an outdated location into One Life Hartlepool, a modern, accessible health centre, will make a real difference for people living with mental health conditions.
“It is always satisfying to see a project move from concept to reality; At CHP, we believe in the strength of partnerships, working with TEWV Trust, the NENC ICS, the LIFTCo and the project management team from Sewell Advisory to deliver this new base for the Community Mental Health Team. Providing £497k funding shows our commitment to making a tangible difference for local communities in Hartlepool. This project is a key part of our ongoing work to improve healthcare facilities across the North East.”
Lisa Stamp, capital investment/strategic estates manager at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“Our teams are excited to be moving into the space at One Life. We feel it will offer our clinical teams a much-improved working environment and help us deliver the best care to the people of Hartlepool.”
John Watson, General Manager, Durham & Tees Community Ventures LIFTCo, said:
“The project to relocate the community adult mental health team to One Life Hartlepool further expands the range of services delivered from the building, providing a health hub for the local community and those requiring support and care.
“Through our strong partnership with CHP and working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders, we have managed to deliver financial close on the scheme to tight timescales, supporting CHP’s PACE programme and increasing overall productivity of the building. I am excited to see the construction element of the project completed to support TEWV in delivering this vital service for patients.”