6 Mar 2003

Health Minister Jacqui Smith opened the new £5.32million facilities for learning disabilities clients on March 6 2003. The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) scheme comprises two purpose-built day centres and a short-stay residential unit for adults with learning disabilities.

Health Minister Jacqui Smith formally opened the new facilities by delivering a speech at 10.30am at Russets Short Stay residential unit, Gatcombe Drive, Hilsea.

The new centres were created under a partnership between Portsmouth City Council Social Services Department and Victory Support Services (Portsmouth) Limited, owned by Interserve Investments Plc and London Financial Group.

The newly designed day centres offer community-based facilities in Henderson Road, Eastney, and New Road, Copnor, and replace the outdated and inappropriate Dundas Lane facility.

In addition, Russets 15-bed short-stay residential facility provides respite and assessment services for adults with learning disabilities.

Councillor Mike Park, the Executive member for health and social care, said: "We're very pleased that Jacqui Smith will officially open these new facilities. They are of the highest standard and we are rightly proud of them.

"We are committed to providing the best possible care in Portsmouth and these new centres go a long way to achieving that. In addition, this project is an excellent example of partnership working at its best."

Gaynor Birley-Smith, General Manager of Victory Support Services, said: "The scheme demonstrates how effective PFI can be at delivering facilities that meet important social needs. We spent time at the outset understanding the issues and incorporating them in to our designs, and in the process we formed an excellent working relationship with Portsmouth Social Services.

"Our shared determination to ensure that the centres took account of the clients' special requirements contributed significantly to the overall success of the project."

Read the case study for this project.