A mental health charity has announced plans to expand its Supported Transition Service to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and enable more people with learning disabilities to live in the community.
The plans, published by St Andrew’s Healthcare, have been announced after a young man’s life was ‘transformed’ by a bespoke transition service set up by the charity.
The 19-year-old man, who has not been named, was receiving care from CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services) up until his 18th birthday. Once he turned 18, there was not an appropriate service that was able to cater to his needs.
St Andrew’s Healthcare worked with commissioners and set up a bespoke supported transition service within its Northampton grounds, where he has staff looking after him around-the-clock.
Jane, the young man’s mother, said his quality of life is now “exceptional” and her son now has “freedom that he’s never had before.”
Jane’s son is currently living in Lime Tree Cottage, a single occupancy hospital-registered house that supports active rehabilitation and independent community skill development.
Lime Tree has been designed to admit adults and younger people who are on a pathway to independent living, who have complex mental health needs and may also experience aggressive behaviours, sensory issues and emotion dysregulation.
Jane’s son receives round the clock care from staff which she says are “almost like family”.
She said: “My son now has freedom that he’s never had before. He can go wherever he wants and the staff facilitate that. He has his own bathroom, he can dress himself. The progress he has made is outstanding and the support he’s receiving is wonderful.
“For the first time ever, when I come and visit, it feels like I’m coming to visit my son in his own home. It’s been truly transformational for my son and all of us as a family.”
Following this success, St Andrew’s Healthcare now plans to support more than 100 people in transitional and community services over the next four years.
Dr Vivienne McVey, the charity’s CEO, says she hopes their new service will help to reduce the number of people receiving inpatient care, enabling them to move seamlessly from hospital to the community.
She said: “Our Supported Transition Services are designed to meet the complex needs of a single person. This means that the environments can be adapted depending on changing emotional, behavioural, and sensory needs of that person at the time. It also means that the clinical team have complete focus on one individual and can adapt treatment, therapy and activities based on that person’s changing needs, interests, and abilities.
“We’re really proud of Lime Tree Cottage and how smooth the transition was as we moved our patient from one service to another. We made sure some staff who knew him well from CAMHS moved with him, so he has been surrounded by familiar faces. We have a dedicated team who ensure he is supported, and he has his own space within our grounds with access to all our hospital facilities and amenities. He’s now getting used to Lime Tree, and the next step will be preparing him to move back home.”
“Here at St Andrew’s Healthcare we are passionate about not only supporting and inspiring hope within our patients, but also their families and carers and we’re thrilled Jane and her son are so pleased with our new service offering.”
Read the latest issue of In Focus on transitioning to adult services here
