New £32m NHS mental health facility for Lancashire and Cumbria is coming to life

The steel frame is now in place at Water Meadow View, which is being delivered by Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust (LSCft), alongside contractors Integrated Health Projects (IHP), providing 14 beds on a dedicated area of the Guild Park site in Whittingham, Preston.

The building will welcome adult patients with a learning disability from across the Lancashire and South Cumbria region, allowing them to stay closer to their loved ones and communities. The facility’s name, chosen in partnership with experts by experience and service users, is a reflection of its picturesque, green surroundings which are ideal for mental health recovery.

LSCft’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chris Oliver, said: “It is great to see our vision coming to life as the steel frame is taking shape. It’s now you can really grasp where things will be located on the site and how fantastic it is going to be for our patients who will be welcomed there, to receive the specialist treatment and support they need. It will be the first of its kind in our area there is no other specialist NHS offer like this within Lancashire and South Cumbria at present.

“We are committed to giving people the support they need closer to home and their social connections, which we know is vitally important for those with mental health illnesses but in particular for those who also have a learning disability.

“We will continue to work closely with those with lived experience, their families, carers, support groups, as well as colleagues and partners, including the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), to co-produce this new service so that it meets the needs of service users.”

How the local community is benefitting

A number of social value initiatives have been delivered by VINCI Building, including

employment and construction educational events, along with the opening of an onsite

community skills centre, which has seen local young people who may want a career in

the industry attend. A third of the construction and labour resource, including staff, are

from the local community and wider Lancashire area, and several local apprentices

have also been employed to work on the project, receiving on-the-job training.

Job opportunities

There are also a number of clinical and support job opportunities available, with more

to follow in the coming weeks and months. Check out Instagram and Facebook via @WeAreLSCFT and LinkedIn.