ACCOMMODATION to help people leaving mental health care reintegrate in the community is set to open in Shaftesbury.

The site, operated by Dorset HealthCare, will open at Pepperell House in Bleke Street next month and is the first of its kind in the county.

Before it comes into operation, the facility will host a public open day between 2pm and 7pm on Monday, December 18.

The accommodation will, over a period of four to 12 weeks, help up to eight people ready to leave local mental health inpatient care reintegrate with the community.

It will allow patients to continue their recovery within a community setting, building up the skills they need to regain their confidence and independence, Dorset HealthCare said, helping them to lead a normal life and reduce the chances of being re-admitted to hospital in the future.

And the arrangement will also free-up badly-needed inpatient beds for people requiring intensive mental health treatment.

The service will be run by BCHA (Bournemouth Churches Housing Association), which will provide 24/7 support at the site, with staff working closely with Dorset HealthCare’s community mental health teams, as well as other partners such as GPs and social care workers.

The facility has been made possible by the generosity of both the Pepperell Blackmore Vale Society – which donated the property to the Friends of Westminster Memorial Hospital – and the Friends of Westminster Memorial Hospital charity, which now owns Pepperell House and has leased it to Dorset HealthCare.

Patients will stay in the newer part of the building, formerly used for sheltered accommodation.

Options for using the older, Grade 2 Listed Building section are still under consideration.

The service should cause no disruption to the local community, said David Emery, Dorset HealthCare’s Hospital to Home service lead.

“This is a crucial step forward in the development of local mental health services,” he said. “The unit will provide high-quality support for people leaving hospital, helping them readjust before they return home or move to other accommodation in the community.

“Pepperell House is an ideal location, a great place for people to work towards their recovery goals.

“We are very grateful to the Friends for making the building available, and we will seek to ensure that the service respects the needs of town centre residents.”

Nicola Greenfield, of BCHA, said people could ask questions and find out more at the open day.

“We are pleased to be working with Dorset HealthCare to provide this new service and look forward to welcoming the local community to come and learn more about the plans,” she said.