Low Secure Female Services

Admission into our female service can happen at any point along the pathway. We accept Service Users who have a history of complex needs and challenging behaviour who are likely to have caused problems in other rehabilitative settings or should not be managed long term in psychiatric intensive care services. Service Users who are already engaged in treatment and actively working towards moving out of secure services will be readily assessed for admission.

Whichever pathway service users come from our emphasis lies in moving service users in, through and out of the service wherever possible onwards to less secure conditions. Progress is measured by patient portfolio, joint care plan and service user-led CPA. The three main outcome measures utilised:

• HoNOS Secure
• EssenCES
• Recovery Star

Our female service is split between two wards, Milton and Knightstone. Both wards offer comfortable all single en-suite accommodation with generous day rooms and shared communal facilities in a beautiful and therapeutic setting.

Our care and treatment is based on a recovery and user-centred approach. Service users are supported to achieve positive personal outcomes, increase pro-social behaviours, reduce risk and improve their access to the community.

Treatment programmes facilitate skills development and the therapeutic activities are underpinned by the principal of cognitive behavioural, creative and psychodynamic therapy in an environment where secure professional relationships empower engagement and exploration of the salient aspects of women's lives. In addition our unique Drug and Alcohol service at Kewstoke offers a specialist service to the women, taking into account their bio-psycho-social patterns of behaviour, which often differ considerably from their male counterparts.

We provide the expertise and ideal setting to start or continue a rehabilitation programme with these individuals whilst at the same time managing their behaviour in a safe and secure, female friendly environment. Women with a forensic history or on direct transfers from the prisons or courts are equally accommodated and welcome.

Female Prison Transfer Service

Once admitted, we carry out a detailed assessment of the service user and recommend future management and treatment. Our aim is to achieve this within a fixed length stay of 8 weeks.

Admission Criteria

We accept services user who are:

• Female Aged 18+
• Dangerous behaviour and/or chronic challenging behaviour
  This should be established and should pose a continuing and ongoing risk.
• Absconding
  Service users who represent a persistent risk of absconding to avoid treatment, where subsequent relapse carries a risk of dangerous behaviour.
• Intractable Mental State and Behavioural Problems
  Service users who present with the above make it impractical or unlikely (in the foreseeable future) that Section 17 unescorted leave would be granted.
• Dual Diagnosis
  Service users who present with mental illness as a primary diagnosis and a secondary diagnosis of substance abuse, personality disorder or mild learning disability. We do not accept Service users for the sole purpose of detoxification.

For more information, or to make a referral please call us on 01934 428 989.