Lewisham centre to close: ‘If mental health centre closes, there will be more suicides’ says long-term mental health patient

BY JAMES TWOMEY
james@slpmedia.co.uk

A mental health walk-in clinic is to close in January and the building that housed it will be sold.

The Lee Centre, in Aislibie Road, Lewisham, has provided walk-in mental health services for years, but service users have been told that it will no longer exist in the new year.

Victor Logan, 64, from Charlton, has been using the service for 11 years, and thinks the closure of the Lee centre is a sign of the times.

“It’s yet another slice of ongoing salami cuts to mental health services,” said Victor. “They obviously feel people with mental health illnesses are a soft target.

“It’s counterproductive too. If they close this centre there will be more suicides and further costs to health services in the long run.

“All the main parties in the general election are promising to spend more and here right under their noses a mental health centre is being shut down.

“We invited politicians from all parties to come and sit down with us last week. It says it all that they wouldn’t come.

“I’ve lost yet another service. Yet another place to go to for mental healing. I’ve been abandoned and left to find my own way.”

Victor claimed that South London and Maudsley Hospital has not informed all service users of the building’s closure.

Victor added: “They turned up with a few minutes notice so not everyone knows. They haven’t given us any advice about what to do next. I’m more depressed than ever before.”

Another service user, who did not want to be named, said: “I’m very sad. Really saddened by the whole thing it’s such a shame.

“This building had a previous life as a community centre. If they want to do something meaningful for the community they should at least return it to that. That’s what it was built for in the first place.”

The building is owned by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLAM) who had been providing mental health services to treat the walk in patients.

A SLAM spokeswoman said: “South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Lewisham council are working together to make sure people in Lewisham are supported to manage their mental health and wellbeing and stay well.

“Culturally specific one-to-one and group support services for people using the Lee Centre, which is closing in early 2020, will be provided by Bromley Lewisham and Greenwich Mind (BLG Mind) in partnership with Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network and Sydenham Garden.

“The changes are part of the Trust’s strategic plan to make the best use of our resources and provide the best quality care for patients and service users.

“We recognise that this may be an unsettling transition for people and we are working to make sure everyone who uses these services feels supported during this period.”

A Lewisham council spokeswoman said: “Ensuring our residents continue to get quality services is our priority.

We are working closely with SLaM and new providers Bromley Lewisham and Greenwich Mind (BLG Mind) and other partners to ensure a smooth transition for patients and services users.”