A mental health outpatient programme at Dunedin Hospital may be closed, in a proposed move described as "radical" by a Dunedin psychotherapist.
The Otago District Health Board is considering tendering the work to community mental health providers.
Acting mental health and community services group manager Heather Casey said the move was in line with the Government's push for healthcare in the community, rather than in hospital.
"Other DHBs have moved similar services to the community ... so that the service is seen as a community-led service, as opposed to a hospital-led service."
She said the move "may not" save money, but refused to give details of the budget or how a new service would be structured.
The board had earlier this month released a consultation document to people in the mental health sector for feedback, which closes on April 6, and a decision is to be announced after April 12.
The programme would cease in July, if the board opted to close it.
Dunedin psychotherapist Dr John Farnsworth, who has referred clients to the programme, labelled the proposed move "radical" and said the board was dicing with the "safety net" of the most vulnerable people in the community.
Delivering the programme in a hospital was a great advantage.
As well as its central city location, mental health and general staff were on hand at Dunedin Hospital if needed.
He doubted whether the therapy could be delivered more cheaply in the community, and it would probably be fragmented.
Communication between the board and the mental health sector had been poor; many in the sector had not been told what was happening, Dr Farnsworth said.
In the programme, participants focus on areas including anxiety management, goal setting, assertiveness, psycho-drama and art therapy, with input from nurses, an occupational therapist and a psychiatrist.
Upon being referred, service users are expected to attend every day, with varying lengths of stay.
About eight or nine people attend each day.
Dr Farnsworth had seen clients, in his past 10 years' practising in Dunedin, benefit enormously from the "crucial" programme.
Psychotherapist Joy Hayward said it was "extraordinary" that psychotherapists who referred to the programme were hearing of the changes through the "grapevine".
She believed the board was not carrying out an adequate consultation process.
She said staff at the hospital programme did an excellent job, liaising with their charges' primary therapists, maintaining good communication.
Mental health services campaigner Jim Crowe, who did not know of the proposal until contacted by the Otago Daily Times, wanted an assurance the move was not about cost-cutting.
Mental health programmes needed more resources, not fewer, he said.
He was not opposed in principle to the services being community-based, as many people preferred accessing services in the community.
If there was a change, it was vital service users could move "seamlessly" between the programmes.
Mr Crowe suggested the board move the service into the community, but continue to fund and run it directly.
