Posted on: 18 August 2023
CNWL has opened two new mental health assessment centres at St Mary’s Hospital in Westminster and Hillingdon Hospital, providing patients who require emergency care for their mental health a more immediate therapeutic environment to be seen by professionals. The Trust opened a similar centre at St Charles Hospital in Kensington and Chelsea over winter 2022.
The two new units are both called ‘The Lighthouse’, and are run in partnership with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (at St Mary’s) and Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (at Hillingdon Hospital).
The centres are for patients who present to the emergency department with mental health needs and provides patients with an extended and informed assessment of their needs, with a range of therapeutic interventions on offer.
This innovative approach to mental health care will help improve mental health outcomes for patients and reduce demand on emergency services at the hospitals.
Patient rooms are designed to be peaceful and offer privacy, as well as shower and bathroom facilities. To help create a calming atmosphere, paintings fill the space with soothing colours.
Gareth Jarvis, Divisional Medical Director for Jameson Division at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“An emergency department can be extremely stressful for someone in mental distress and can add greatly to levels of anxiety.
“By working together, we hope to reduce the time taken to be seen and offer treatment that better supports local residents to recover quicker and in a supportive and holistic space. Our teams will carry out emergency mental health assessments upon arrival and offer a therapeutic space with access to specialised psychological and psychiatric care. The full team will then be involved in onward care planning to help people on their recovery journey.”
Alastair Penman, Borough Director for Hillingdon Mental Health at CNWL, said
‘We are delighted that the Lighthouse within Hillingdon Hospital is now open. This is a developing service alongside our third sector partner, Hestia, and shows the commitment and joint working between CNWL, Hestia and Hillingdon Hospital. We hope more patients will be supported to receive the help they need within a suitable environment."