Wolverhampton City Council is working with partners including Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to develop a community service hub at the former Warstones Resource Centre.
It is proposed that the centre, one of 3 such community service hubs planned across the city, would offer a range of health and social care support options, including helping people to maintain and regain their independence.
Wolverhampton CCG is currently exploring the feasibility of establishing an intermediate care unit at Warstones which would provide support options designed to bridge the gap between hospital and home.
This could include physiotherapy, speech therapy and falls prevention, helping people who have been in hospital to recover their independence before returning home - and where possible prevent people whose health has deteriorated from needing to go into hospital in the first place.
It is also proposed to offer other support options at the hub, as well as encouraging people to live healthily. The hub would also be the new home for Warstones Library and offer drop in opportunities for the whole community, who could benefit from activities such as Tai Chi, art classes and bingo.
Meanwhile Third Sector organisations such as Age UK, Dementia Pathfinders and the Over 50s forum, would continue to be based at the hub.
Councillor Elias Mattu, Wolverhampton City Council's Cabinet Member for Leisure and Communities, said: "We've already begun work on a series of hubs offering library and community services across Wolverhampton, and at Warstones we're proposing to take the concept a step further by including health and social care support options as well.
"The city council is facing an unprecedented budgetary challenge. The creation of these hubs is enabling us to protect vital services in the face of Government funding cuts.
"By bringing services together under one roof, we're also making it easier for people to access a wide range of help and support from the same location."
Dr Helen Hibbs, Chief Officer of Wolverhampton CCG, said: "We are committed to working in partnership with Wolverhampton City Council for the benefit of the people of Wolverhampton.
"Patient care is paramount. We aim to reduce hospital admissions, where this is appropriate, by providing other ways to support people. In doing so, we improve our patients' quality of life by giving them the confidence to manage in their own homes.
"We welcome the engagement on the development of the Warstones hub and hope that as many people as possible will take this opportunity to have their say."
Councillor Mattu added: "Although the development of the Warstones hub is at a very early stage, we're keen to hear people's thoughts about the proposals and I'd urge them to have their say during the 3 month engagement process which is now underway."
People can take part in the engagement process in a number of ways. Over the next 12 weeks, a series of events will be held at which stakeholders, service users, carers and members of the public can find out more about, and comment upon, the proposals. More details of these events will be available in the coming weeks.
In addition, people can log on to Type=links;Linkid=2610;Title=Current consultations;Target=_blank;, or contact Commissioning Officer Helen Rowney on 01902 555495 or via helen.rowney@wolverhampton.gov.uk, or Participation Officer Rose Powell on 01902 555494 or via rose.powell@wolverhampton.gov.uk for more information about the proposals.
Following the engagement process, which will come to an end on Friday 6 December, 2013, a report will be prepared for Cabinet detailing options for the development of the community service hub.
- released: Thursday 19 September, 2013