Portsmouth council confirms negotiations over providing new mental health unit

Portsmouth City Council is currently trying to reach a deal with Solent NHS Trust on the future of the Oakdene building in Milton.

Councillor Luke Stubbs, cabinet member for adult social care, confirmed at the health and wellbeing board meeting that they are negotiating with Solent about the site.

As previously reported in The News, the deal could create 17 additional places to treat people with mental health problems in the city.

The unit would have 12 individual flats and a five-bed specialist unit for people in need of extra support.

Cllr Stubbs said: ‘This is about creating flexible space.

‘While we are talking about mental health at the moment, it is about creating a space that can be changed if needs change.’

During the meeting, it was said the purpose of the unit was to bring people from Portsmouth receiving mental health care outside the city, due to a lack of provision, back to Portsea island.