Cygnet Hospital Beckton:
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0845 070 4170
General Enquiries & Referral Line
Therapy Department
The Cygnet Hospital Beckton Therapies Team consists of clinical and forensic psychologists, an assistant psychologist, occupational therapists, activities co-ordinators, arts psychotherapists, a systemic/family psychotherapist and substance misuse counsellors. Cygnet Hospital Beckton also has fully trained fitness instructors and smoking cessation workers who work alongside the Therapies Team to support patients to improve their physical health and fitness.
Members of the Therapies Team are fully integrated into the multidisciplinary team and play a major part in developing and delivering patients’ care plans. The Therapies Department strives to work collaboratively with patients and their care network to enhance mental health and quality of life. The team works within a recovery framework and takes a holistic approach to promoting mental health and social well-being and aims to enhance patient independence and social inclusion.
All members of the Therapies Team work together to design and deliver a comprehensive and co-ordinated therapies programme tailored to patient needs. The work of the Therapies Department is informed by evidence-based practice and is designed in collaboration with our service users.
Psychological Therapies
The Psychology Department undertakes specialist psychological assessments, including neuropsychological, personality and specialist risk assessments (e.g. HCR-20; Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol). The Psychology Department provides individual, group and family interventions based on a thorough assessment of need. A range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches are utilised, including cognitive-behavioural therapy, schema-focussed therapy, behavioural approaches, dialectical-behaviour therapy, solution-focused therapy, psychodynamic approaches and systemic/family psychotherapy.
The Psychology Department has special expertise in working with sexual offenders, families/couples and patients with challenging behaviours, personality disorders and dual diagnosis. The Psychology Department also carries out staff supervision, staff training and consultation to professionals and teams.
Psychologists regularly attend multidisciplinary team meetings, ward rounds and CPAs in order to inform the psychological aspects of care and to encourage psychological thinking in all aspects of patient care. The Psychology Department also plays an active part in measuring outcomes and undertaking audit and service evaluation.
Arts Psychotherapies
The Arts Psychotherapies Department conducts specialist assessments and carries out individual and group arts psycho therapies using a psychodynamic framework. They provide formal drama and art psychotherapy as well as music groups, primarily for women on New Dawn Ward (Beckton’s specialist unit for women with borderline personality disorder). Arts psychotherapists also play a role in training other members of the therapy team in arts-based therapeutic techniques, and they are fully integrated into the multidisciplinary team.
Occupational Therapy
The Occupational Therapy Department consists of occupational therapists (OT’s) who are closely assisted by Activities Co-ordinators. The OT’s carry out specialist assessments on all patients and provide a variety of group and individual interventions based on patient need. The OT Department is committed to client-centred, holistic practice utilising activities that both maintain existing skills as well as develop additional physical, social and cognitive capacities for patients.
Interventions are conducted in both group and one-to-one sessions. The aim is to identify and utilise activities considered meaningful to clients through a process of collaboration. OT practice at Beckton is underpinned by the Model of Human Occupation. The OT team encourages patients to work towards realising a structured and balanced occupational life.
Interventions are graded according to the patient’s functional capabilities, and may include goal-setting, functional Activities of Daily Living (ADL) assessments, social skills training, vocational skills training and interventions focused on increasing self-esteem or managing anxiety. OTs and activities-co-ordinators regularly attend MDT meetings, ward rounds and CPAs and play an active part in care planning, risk assessment and managing risk.
OTs and activities co-ordinators provide a comprehensive ward-based therapies programme, including a range of groups aimed at promoting psychological and physical well-being and creativity (e.g. psycho-education, relaxation, social skills training, arts and crafts, music, reading/writing, healthy living, exercise, pampering). Patients are also strongly encouraged and supported to access off-site activities and local community resources whenever possible with the aim of promoting social inclusion and community re-integration.
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Fax: 020 7511 3399
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