CAMHS National and Specialist Services Directory - SLaM National ...

Kent and Medway Adolescent Unit
Location: Staplehurst, Tonbridge, Kent
Mode: Inpatient
Beds: Ash Ward – 12, Oak Ward – 12
We are an open adolescent unit, offering mental health care
for adolescents with a serious mental illness who require
hospital admission. We work alongside our sister units that
have developed national and international reputations for
innovation, including the introduction of a comprehensive,
all hours emergency admission service.
We are able to admit both planned and emergency admissions.
Admissions are accepted 24-hours a day, 365 days a year,
and can be accepted under the Mental Health Act.
Some young people who are admitted to our unit may
have an eating disorder, others may have problems relating
to their mood, often posing a risk to themselves. We are
also able to admit young people with a variety of other
psychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders, or where
there is diagnostic uncertainty.
As we are an open unit, we are unable to admit young people
who pose a level of risk that is not consistent with being cared
for in such an environment. This judgement is always based
on individual risk assessment rather than applying absolute
exclusion criteria, and is reviewed regularly. People requiring
care in a more secure setting can be admitted to the unit
if the risk has altered.
We provide a broad range of interventions, which are
delivered by a team of psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses,
teachers, occupational therapists, social workers, family
therapists and other therapists.
Our unit is located in a rural part of Kent, with 27 acres of
gardens and grounds. Our patients have access to facilities
that include a fully-equipped gym, dance studio, patient
kitchen, games room, garden, woodland walks and
bicycles. This enables us to offer a wide range of therapies
in different environments.
Our average length of stay is 43 days;
comparing favourably with both published
data and our other adolescent units.
Criteria
Eligibility
• Adolescents (12 years), up to 18 years old
• Male or female
• Mental illness or suspected mental illness that cannot be safely
managed by outpatient services
Interventions which may be provided
• Comprehensive mental state assessment
• Psychological assessment and treatment
• Access to physical health assessment and appropriate
treatment and advice
• Risk assessment
• Occupational therapy
• Activity programme, including social and recreational
activities, as well as therapeutic groups
• Education provided on site by professional teaching staff
• Family work and psychoeducational support for families
• Care planning, including working with the young person’s
family and carers
• Medication review and prescribing
• Relapse prevention planning
• Social work support, including assistance with benefits
and housing
Exclusion
• Young people requiring a more secure environment
Outcomes
• Formulation and diagnosis
• Stabilisation or resolution of mental health crisis
• Readiness for re-integration into education,
or plans for alternative training and development
• Readiness to resume outpatient psychiatric care
• Relapse prevention strategies
• Improved general well-being
• Comprehensive admission, care plan approach
and discharge summaries
Care option Description Cost Unit Code
Inpatient
Assessment and
treatment
A multidisciplinary assessment is undertaken to create an individual
treatment plan, which is reviewed regularly throughout the stay.
Psychiatric reviews, nursing supervision, routine physical health
monitoring and access to ward-based educational, recreational
and therapeutic groups are provided for all patients.
Close links are maintained with referring teams to ensure a smooth
transition from inpatient care to the community. Discharge planning
is undertaken using the care programme approach.
Referrals are accepted from: Contacts: Address:
£566 OBD 92686
Consultant psychiatrists
GP consortia
Consultant paediatricians
Mental health professionals
Ash Ward
Dr John Watts, Consultant Child and
Adolescent Psychiatrist
Oak Ward
Dr Helen Garrett, Consultant Child and
Adolescent Psychiatrist
Kent and Medway Adolescent Unit
Cranbrook Rd
Staplehurst
Tonbridge
Kent TN12 0ER
Tel: 020 3228 3200
Fax: 020 3228 3202
Email: rajendra.padayachee@slam.nhs.uk
20
21