February 4, 2020 4.48 pm This story is over 49 months old

Elderly mental health unit closes in Boston and reopens in Lincoln

They will close down the Boston unit as it no longer meets the trust’s “essential quality standards”
Brant Ward will reopen after a big refurbishment.

A mental health unit for the elderly in Lincoln will become the main centre in the county as the trust closes its Boston unit.

Brant Ward on Fen Lane in North Hykeham will reopen in mid-February with 18 ensuite bedrooms after it closed in October 2018 for a £4 million refurbishment, twice the investment previously proposed.

It used to have 20 beds in a dormitory-style, but they are being phased out as they are no longer considered good practice in modern mental health care.

During the closure, the patients were offered support seven days a week in their homes by the same staff.

Boston Pilgrim Hospital’s Rochford 17-bed unit will be closed as it no longer meets the trust’s “essential quality standards” as it is on the first floor and has dormitory-style beds.

In its place, they will open a hub in the town where staff will be based and can use to head out to patients in their homes.

Any patients who need to be on a ward will be transferred to Lincoln.

Chris Higgins, director of operations at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “As Rochford has been operating as the county’s single older adult mental health ward for the last year we do not anticipate a significant change in the way we currently deliver services.

“Patients currently on the ward can be admitted from anywhere in the county and this will continue, however at Lincoln instead of Boston, with the added benefit of additional community support with the extra hub on the East Coast.

“Patients currently receiving care at Rochford Ward are being informed of the change, and the intention to move to Brant Ward in the coming weeks.”