Kent and Medway’s first psychiatric intensive care unit for women is scheduled to open at Littlestone Lodge in Dartford toward the end of November, backed by a £4.63m investment from the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust.
The 10-bed facility aims to provide short-term, intensive care for women experiencing serious mental health difficulties who require extra support. Until now, women in the region needing this specific level of intensive care could not receive it from the local trust team, according to Dr Afifa Qazi, the trust’s chief medical officer.
Littlestone Lodge Will Provide 2,500 Bed Days of Care
The new unit at Littlestone Lodge is expected to deliver approximately 2,500 bed days of care each year. Two of the 10 available beds are designated for women referred by other NHS trusts, depending on individual clinical requirements.
The facility extends existing provision within the trust. The NHS trust already operates Willow Suite, a 12-bed intensive mental health unit for men located at Littlebrook Hospital.
Dr Afifa Qazi stated that the opening marks an important step forward. “This new service means we can now provide specialist, compassionate care at a particularly difficult time in their lives,” Qazi said.
Clinical Pathways Help Patients Transition Between Services
Trust officials reported that the unit will establish a more joined-up clinical pathway. This structure is designed to help patients transition smoothly between hospital wards and community services as their clinical needs evolve.
Care plans will be tailored specifically around each woman’s personal circumstances. “Our team will take the time to get to know each woman, understand what matters to her and recognise her as a person, not just her mental health needs,” Qazi added.
References
- BBC News: Kent and Medway’s first female psychiatric intensive care unit to open
- Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust: Service announcements and regional psychiatric care provisions
