News

24 December 2010:
Cygnet Hospital Derby to open specialist female personality disorder service

We are pleased to announce that Cygnet Hospital Derby are opening a new specialist service for women who suffer from emotionally unstable personality disorder.

Opening on the 11th April 2011 on Alvaston Ward the service will operate a Schema and DBT based treatment approach as well as using other models of care where appropriate.

The communal area on Alvaston Ward

Admission Criteria

We will be accepting service users who are:

  • Female Age 18+
  • Dangerous behaviour and/or chronic challenging behaviour
  • Service users who are motivated to accept treatment and/or recognise the need for help
  • Service users who may be extremely vulnerable due to a history of sexual abuse
  • Service users who may require a low secure setting
  • Service users for whom a Risk Assessment has been completed by the assessing nurse and/ or psychologist and Medical Officer.

The Risk Assessment will consist of scrutiny of the Cygnet Derby referral form and the relevant information sent by referrers. Only if the assessing nurse/psychologist and relevant medical officer believe that the Risks presented warrant a low secure environment may the admission be approved.

Treatment Plan

The treatment plan will consist of the following:

  • An initial three-month period of assessment to look at the service users overall function and to define challenges, including physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual needs.
  • There will be initial screening and diagnostic assessments, and ongoing assessments at regular intervals throughout the stay to assess progress and follow-up for 18 months post discharge, to assess the long term effectiveness of the interventions.
  • The service user will engage in a very structured treatment programme aimed at reducing deficits, which will include improving rationalisation skills, emotional regulation skills, social skills and coping strategies. Trauma therapy and occupational/ back to work skills will also be provided. This is not an extensive list and will be individualised according to the service user's needs.
  • Therapy will be provided on both an individual and group basis, supported by service user self help groups.
  • We would expect involvement from the local statutory services from the beginning of the admission to look at strategies for meeting needs in the community upon discharge, i.e. support levels, housing, occupation etc.
  • As well as the commonly recognised personality disorder assessment tools, we will also be utilising:
    • HoNOS Secure
    • Recovery Star
    • HCR-20
    • FACE Risk assessment
    • CAMFOR

Making a referral

The new service opens in April 2011 and we are now taking referrals. To discuss any of the services that Cygnet Hospital Derby provides, arrange an informal visit or to make a referral please contact one of the following on 01332 365 434:

 

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