SECURE Services for Deaf Women

Alpha Hospitals Secure Service for Deaf Women provides assessment and treatment in a gender sensitive medium secure setting for patients from the age of 18 years and upwards. The environment is highly specialist and offers culturally sensitive services for deaf mentally ill patients. Staff are highly skilled in British Sign Language.

Alpha Hospitals works in collaboration with Bolton, Salford and Trafford Mental Health Partnership Trust to provide this service.

All patients admitted to Alpha Hospitals Forensic Service for Deaf People will be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983

Facilities

Each unit provides an exceptionally high standard of accommodation. Patients have their own bedroom and en-suite bathroom offering maximum privacy. This is further enhanced by spacious lounges, therapy rooms, occupational therapy kitchen, gym and laundry facilities. Units also have gardens, which are designed by the patients.

Standards

Alpha Hospitals follow the guidelines set out in the National Minimum Standards for General Adult Services in Psychiatric Intensive Care Units and Low Secure Environments which can be viewed on the Department of Health website.

Alpha Hospitals support the guidance set out in Sign of the Times, Department of Health 2002 and Mental Health & Deafness – Towards Equity and Access Best Practice Guidelines.

The Team

All Alpha Hospitals are led by multidisciplinary teams which include: Consultant Psychiatrists, Associate Specialists, Clinical Psychologists, Nurses, Healthcare Assistants, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists and Fitness Instructors. Alpha Hospitals also employ interpreters and dialect interpreters who are highly skilled in British Sign Language. Staff are also trained in British Sign Language.

Making a Referral

Enquiries regarding referrals should be made to Lisa Mullineux, Business Development Officer, Tel: or email: . In most cases an assessment of the patient can be carried out within 3 working days. Following the assessment the multidisciplinary team will assess whether the patient will benefit from the services and then make arrangements for the patient’s admission including authorisation of funding.

The Admission Process

On admission the patient is orientated to the hospital, introduced to their Key Nurse and given a copy of the Patient Information Guide which tells them about all aspects of the service, their care and important information on their rights.

Once the patient has settled, a programme of care will be discussed with the patient. This will be in the form of an Enhanced Care Programme Approach. This will address the personal needs of the patient taking into account social needs, cultural needs, therapeutic needs, medical needs, physical health and support needs and is in line with the principles of assessment set out in the National Service Framework for Mental Health. Once the patient agrees this, the multidisciplinary team and the patient will be issued with a copy of the care plan which will be reviewed at regular Care Programme Review Meetings. Relatives and carers are also encouraged to take an active part in this process with the agreement of the patient.

Advocacy

Alpha Hospitals appoint independent advocacy services for patients.

Advocacy is a means of supporting individuals in articulating their wishes and having them heard. Advocates promote the rights of their service users and give them a stronger voice with personal preferences and choices.

The advocate will help and support the patient to speak up for themselves or do this for them if they feel unable to do so. They will provide support at meetings i.e. CPA meetings, inform patients of their rights, inform patients of community services which they can access, help them make a complaint and help to refer the patient to other appropriate people if the advocate cannot assist with a particular enquiry.

The Deaf Forensic Service benefits from advocates that specialise in British Sign Language.

Further Information

Alpha Hospitals have a Statement of Purpose for each service which is written in accordance with the requirements of the Healthcare Commission. In addition there are special information folders which contain more detailed information on each unit. These are given to patients on or prior to admission. Special information folders are also available for parents or carers, which contain helpful information.