New unit closed to admissions after four months due to attacks on staff
A new unit providing mental health services for children and young people has been closed to new admissions after just four months, HSJ understands.
The Emerald Place unit in Charlwood, Surrey, is a joint project between Elysium Healthcare and Surrey and Borders Partnership Foundation Trust. It opened in April to provide 12 NHS-funded beds for young people aged 13 to 18. It was the first NHS-funded service of its kind to open in the county for more than a decade.
The unit is intended to meet the shortage of CAMHs beds in the area and therefore reduce the number of young people being sent outside the county for care. Those admitted will be young people with a primary diagnosis of mental illness, including mood disorders and acute psychosis, who have existing needs such as neurodevelopment disorders or mild learning disabilities.
NHS England South East – which commissions the tier 4 service – told HSJ a number of incidents resulting from “a range of factors” had led to a halt in admissions at the end of August. HSJ has been told that some of these incidents involved violence towards the staff at the centre.
NHS SE said the unit was currently treating fewer than five young people.
A spokesperson said: “NHS England, as accountable commissioner, has engaged with Elysium and Surrey and Borders Partnership Foundation Trust to assess what can be done to enhance the quality of the service at Emerald Place.
“Some of these improvements include changes to the environment, further staff training and modifications to the care models to meet the needs of neurodiverse young people, such as peer support, accessing additional autism-specific expertise, sensory adjustments and online safety measures to safeguard young people.
“To help the service embed the necessary changes, we have taken the decision to pause new admissions. This pause will assist staff to continue to provide a safe and supportive setting for the young people who continue to receive active care and treatment at Emerald Place while delivering and testing the quality improvements.”
SABPs most recent board papers referred to “continuing quality concerns” at the unit.
Elysium said it did not want to comment further. SABP said: ”There have been a few recent incidences of exceptionally challenging behaviour by young people staying at the clinic. These have resulted in some minor injuries and damage to facilities.”
Updated 13.36 with SABP comment