People who are experiencing severe symptoms of a mental health condition may spend time in hospital. The types of care we provide in hospitals is detailed below.
Our inpatient wards provide a safe environment for assessment, treatment and therapeutic work for a wide range of mental health conditions. These services are designed to promote recovery and form part of a whole system approach to care which is delivered in conjunction with community services.
We have specialist inpatient wards that provide treatment for adults of working age, older adults (including dementia), children and young people (CAMHS), eating disorders, secure support and rehabilitation.
Our psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs) provide mental health care and treatment for people whose acute illness, absconding risk and suicidal or challenging behaviour needs a more secure environment to that provided on an open psychiatric ward.
PICU wards specialise in the assessment and comprehensive treatment of people with a broad spectrum of acute and enduring mental health needs. They provide care and treatment to inpatients who are experiencing the most acute phase of a mental illness. Our aim is to manage and reduce the risks associated with acute episodes of mental illness.
Our rehabilitation services are provided in West Cheshire at Rosewood ward in Chester's Bowmere Hospital.
The service is based around the ethos of collaborative working with the individual experiencing the illness, their carers and rehabilitation practitioners.
This includes the person’s social, spiritual and cultural needs to ensure the best possible outcomes for each individual. The promotion of independence and autonomy are fundamental to this process and encourage service users to have hope for the future which in turn leads to successful community living with appropriate support.
Referrals to these services are available for known service users (already in secondary care) who fulfil the inclusion criteria in the primary care trust service specifications and require intensive rehabilitation and a care setting with high levels of supervision and intervention.
Our Liaison Psychiatry teams are based in general hospitals and provide psychiatric treatment to patients attending hospital. The teams work closely with other doctors and healthcare workers to ensure that your physical and mental health care are as joined up as possible.
Our Hospital Alcohol Liaison Service (HALS) offers interventions to people with alcohol related conditions who are being cared for at the acute general hospital in Chester - the Countess of Chester Hospital, which is situated on the health park.
The service works with patients attending the hospital for urgent or planned care, who are either identified as harmful or dependent drinkers or attending as a direct result of alcohol related harm. The aim of the service is to reduce the amount of alcohol related presentations to the acute hospital.
Anyone aged 18 and over can be referred to receive hospital care by discussing it with a social worker or other health professional.
