Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is staging a public open evening next Thursday (17 January 2008) to look at future developments of rehabilitation services for people across the county with a long-term mental illness.

The focus of the evening will be on three new purpose-built units that the Trust is seeking to locate in Lincoln, and for which it has recently submitted an application for outline planning permission.

The session, between 5pm and 7pm at Yarborough Court off Long Leys Road in Lincoln, will give members of the public a chance to view an exhibition of plans for the development and talk to Trust staff about rehabilitation services.

The proposed units are in response to a review and public consultation in 2004 which found that Lincolnshire’s rehabilitation services needed to be modernised. In addition, in recent years it has been found that a number of Lincolnshire people have to go out of the county to receive specialist treatment, and this is particularly the case for women.

Ann Dodd, the Trust’s team leader for rehabilitation services said: “We are planning a number of changes to overhaul mental health rehabilitation services, including providing women-only services.

“It is our aim to provide services for Lincolnshire people as close to their homes and families as possible, and this is particularly important with mental health services where social networks are vital in the rehabilitation process.

“We would like Lincolnshire residents to be able to find out about more about their local rehabilitation services and we really want to hear their views on our plans for the proposed new units.”

The Trust currently has a number of units nearby the proposed site, which is on the former St George’s Hospital site off Long Leys Road in Lincoln. These include Carholme Court, a rehabilitation unit which would be replaced by the new development if it goes ahead.

The open evening is being held at Yarborough Court, which can be found towards the back of the site.