Alpha Hospitals : A State Of Mind

Young Person’s Services

Alpha Hospital Woking provides a high standard of individualized care for young people between the ages on 12-18 years who are experiencing a mental health crisis and cannot be maintained in intensive community settings.

The Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit and the Challenging Behaviour Unit proved a safe, secure, therapeutic environment where Young People are encouraged to take an active part in the Care Programme Approach.

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, games room, occupational therapy kitchen, gym and laundry facilities. Units also have gardens which are designed by the patients.

Standards

Alpha Hospital supports the standards set out in the Quality Network for Inpatient Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (QNIC) and seek to monitor services against these standards. In addition Alpha Hospitals will work towards the standards set out in the National Service Framework for Children. Alpha Hospitals will keep abreast of developments within Children’s Trusts and seek to implement their guidelines.

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 Team

All Alpha Hospitals are led by multidisciplinary teams which include: Consultant Psychiatrists, Associate Specialists, Clinical Psychologists, Nurses, Healthcare Assistants, Social Workers, Teachers, Occupational Therapists, Cognitive Behavioural Therapists and Sports Instructors.

Making a Referral

Alpha Hospitals recognises that young people with mental illness may present in a state of crisis requiring urgent hospital admission. Alpha Hospitals aim to provide a rapid, accessible and responsive service in these circumstances.

In non-emergency situations the referrer should contact the Clinical Nurse Specialist on the Young Person’s Unit for an informal discussion. A written assessment on the patient will be required to be faxed to the Unit for consideration by the multidisciplinary team. A decision on whether the patient is suitable or not will usually be given within 24hrs. An admission can then be arranged once funding is authorised.

An assessment of the patient can also be arranged by members of the Alpha Hospitals clinical team.

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 a Care Programme Approach. This will address the personal needs of the patient taking into account social needs, cultural needs, therapeutic needs, medical needs, educational, 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.

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.