A UNIQUE horticultural therapy centre could be saved from closure after health bosses pushed back its closure date to allow more time for a working group to come up with a lifeline business deal.
Worcestershire Health and Care Trust announced at the end of last year it would stop running the Link Nurseries service in Powick following instruction from the county’s health commissioning groups to save £250,000 from its vocational centres budget.
The service helps people gain skills to aid their recovery from serious illness by growing fruits, vegetables and plants.
Since the announcement in November, West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has led a campaign to maintain the service with several people outside the Trust expressing an interest in running it – leading to a working group being formed made up of a team of volunteers.
And now bosses at the Trust have allowed the group more time to come up with a viable plan which could see mental health services preserved at the site.
The working group is also working with the Link Nurseries Friends group to identify more uses for the venue to increase revenues.
Mrs Baldwin welcomed the time extension and said more work will take place to secure the ‘long-term’ future of Link Nurseries. She also said the South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group is supporting the bid to maintain the service.
“I have offered my help to the working group and written on their behalf to the local health chiefs to secure support for their efforts,” she said.
“The local CCG is keen to see us save Link Nurseries and it is good to see that an extension has been offered to give the team the time to work up a viable proposal.
“I will continue to work with both the health authorities and local people to attempt to secure a long-term future for the site.”
The South Worcestershire Clinical Commission Group confirmed its support to the Observer.
A spokesman for the group, said: “We’re happy to lend our support in developing the business plan and we are working with the Trust and the local group to work through how a sustainable model could be delivered.”
Worcestershire Health and Care Trust has previously stated it plans to deliver a new model for its vocational centre services to meet the savings required.
Plans are to deliver a bigger service with a wider range of activities in Worcester at a venue to be confirmed.
Mark Dickens, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust’s lead for Adult Mental Health said in November: “We recognise the emerging model represents quite a significant shift from where we are currently.
“We also recognise the need to support our service users and staff through this and to give reassurance that the potential new model will continue to provide support which is effective, tailored, safe and supported.”
