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You are here Our ServicesMental Health And Learning Disabilities
"Our clients have really enjoyed planting seeds and growing fruit and vegetables in the poly tunnel. There is a great feeling of pride and achievement when they see the end produce. "
Emma Hind
P a l, Stanhope Neurodisability Centre
Adult Mental Health and Learning Disabilities – An Overview
Our Hospitals and Centres throughout the UK provide a wide range of specialist treatment for adults with a range of mental health disorders, learning disabilities and complex needs.
Specialist, patient centred care and treatment is delivered within a variety of settings and levels of security, from medium/low secure Hospitals to step down services including Community Hospitals and care homes with nursing. Continuum of care is vital for patients stepping up or stepping down, and our uniform model of care supports patients through a structured care pathway.Risk can also be managed efficiently around the patient’s needs at any point in time.
Within our mental health hospitals we provide treatment for adults experiencing psychiatric, psychological and emotional problems, including the severely ill who require high dependency or intensive care and may be at risk of suicidal behaviour, serious self-harm, violence or running away
Within our Medium/low secure hospitals and Community Hospitals, patients may or may not be detained under the Mental Health Act. We cater for the specific needs of adults with Learning Disability, Autism, Borderline Personality Disorder, Aspergers Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and challenging behaviours, providing short term and continuing educational, healthcare and therapeutic interventions.
Our Step down residential care homes and supported living services provide additional care pathway choices for adults with special needs such as learning disability and enduring mental illness.
Our Hospitals and Centres provide care for adults with complex mental health conditions in a safe and calm environment, with different levels of security and independence based on risk factors and treatment required.
We have particular expertise in the treatment of the following conditions:
This list is not exhaustive so please refer to our conditions treated directory for the full list of the conditions we treat.We provide a patient-centred approach to assessment and each patient has an individually tailored programme with demanding yet achievable patient recovery goals
Each hospital has its own multi-disciplinary team comprising: a consultant psychiatrista staff grade psychiatrists clinical psychologists, social workers, an occupational therapist, mental health nurses, healthcare support workers Our patients also have access to other specialist therapists in sport, music and dance, art and even pet therapy.
Our specialist Hospitals and centres provide a safe and caring environment which ensures that all patients/clients in our care receive the professional clinical care they require, within a structured, therapeutic, nurturing environment.
Our holistic approach incorporates the patient/client’s needs from a mental health and learning disability perspective, as well as their physical health needs, social needs, history, risk related behaviours, living skills, relationships and self esteem. This begins with a very comprehensive and effective assessment which provides a very real picture of the person being referred. Patient choice and autonomy begins at the assessment stage and we adopt a truly person-centred approach to on-going care and rehabilitation. We put the patient first and at the centre of everything we do. We work with each individual to develop a tailored, goal-orientated care plan which looks for the positives and helps patients/clients come to terms with their personal challenges. In the right environment, with the right type of care and support, patients/clients can benefit from a brighter future and a more harmonious way of living.
Our aim is to provide the best possible assessment, care and treatment for adults with slight, moderate or severe learning disability, autistic spectrum disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), impaired cognitive and social functioning and other complex needs.
Some patients with learning disability often also have associated challenging behaviours, can have a dual diagnosis or present with additional mental health disorders. This requires very specialised, individually tailored treatment programmes.
We believe that a learning disability should not stop a person from achieving their personal aims and goals. The focus of our care is to provide patients with the support, encouragement and skills they need to achieve as much independence as possible within a safe, therapeutic and supportive environment.
The ethos of our clinical teams and principles of care are consistent across all our Hospitals and Centres. Adopting the Care Programme Approach (CPA), we put patients at the centre of their care and treatment – from their initial assessment and on-going care plan. Our multi-disciplinary teams ensure that clinical excellence and patient care and consultation is integrated into each and every patient care plan. This is supported further by all staff embracing the seven key domains identified within our Care Programme Approach:
Physical Health and Self Care
Living Skills
Relationships and Social Networks
Work and Meaningful Activities
Identity and Self Esteem
Risk Related BehavioursEach patient’s care is also intrinsically linked to one of the national Star initiatives – either the Life Star (for learning disability), for which we were a National Collaborating Centre, The Recovery Star (for Mental Health) or the Spectrum Star (for Autism) which use a plotting system to score patient’s attitudes and behaviours at each point of the scale.
Care is provided within a variety of settings and levels of security from medium/low secure and step down services.
Continuum of care is vital for patients stepping up or stepping down, and our uniform model of care supports patients through a structured care pathway.
Risk can also be managed efficiently around the patient’s needs at any point in time.
Personality Disorder and Forensic Mental Health
Rowan House Hospital and Linden House Hospital offer a dedicated service for men aged 18 and upwards with a clinical diagnosis of one or more personality disorders and associated conditions such as substance abuse, mental illness and a learning disability.
A large number of patients present challenging or offending behaviour as a consequence of their personality disorder. Led by an expert team and advisors who are internationally recognised for their work in this field, the Hospitals provide specific treatment of offending behaviour as part of an integrated approach to treatment and clinical management.
The service aims to reduce patient risk, promote measurable social adjustment and present clinical relapse and the likelihood of re-offending. Our approach is to develop each individual’s real world skills and enhance the possibility that the patient can, over time, move successfully through their care pathway towards a less restrictive environment as part of their recovery.
Where a learning disability also exists, or there are chronic mental health issues, patients can be diverted from the criminal justice system onto a care and treatment programme into a medium secure environment. With the right support, patients can rehabilitate and move towards a goal of managing behaviour and reducing the risk of re-offending.
Our medium secure services are also appropriate for those stepping down from higher secure environments.