A TOTAL of 39 jobs are at risk of redundancy as Swindon’s only brain injury rehabilitation centre is set to close.

Chalkdown House, which is based in Edison Park, was first opened in 2013 by Princess Anne as a multi-million pound state-of-the-art hospital that caters for up to 20 people needing specialist brain injury and mental health treatment.

But in the four years that have followed, dwindling admission numbers, struggles to recruit staff as well as financial losses have left the trust in charge with no choice but to close the centre at the end of August amid fears of its long-term sustainability.

The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT), part of The Disabilities Trust, confirmed that despite the staff facing losting their jobs, they are currently consulting with them about redeployment opportunities within the wider organisation at other locations across the country or with local employers.

The five people currently undergoing rehabilitation at the centre will be moved to other placements by the NHS organisations funding their care - although that could be anywhere in England.

The families of people at the centre have also been informed, along with the funders, about the most sensitive and appropriate way to tell their relative about the planned closure.

Penny Blackmore, interim director of BIRT, said: “This has been a very difficult decision for the Trust to take and one which we have made with great reluctance.

“Despite everyone’s best efforts, we have been unable to generate the number of admissions or to recruit the clinical and managerial staff required to sustain the quality of the service for the longer term.

“There has been increased pressure on the NHS which funds placements at the service, along with changes in the way brain injury rehabilitation is commissioned."

The trust added that since opening, Chalkdown House has never been at full capacity and due to pressures and changes within the NHS, admissions have fallen with the centre with the trust struggling to recruit clinical and managerial staff, given the high demand for these posts from other local employers.

Penny added: She added: “The local employment market means there is significant demand for psychologists and therapists, and we have found it very difficult to recruit and retain those staff.

“This is a sensitive time for everyone involved - for the people at the centre, their families and for the affected staff but we genuinely feel that this is the right decision. The Trust will provide all the advice and support we can over the coming months.”

Swindon NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, Swindon Borough Council, the care watchdog the Care Quality Commission have been informed of the decision.

After the closure, the Chalkdown House site will be secured pending a decision about its future.