Male & Female Locked Challenging Behaviour

Separate Male and Female wards at Cygnet Hospital Stevenage offer a locked service for challenging behaviour set just below Low Secure and above Locked Rehabilitation. These specialist services offer DBT and Schema Focused Therapy and benefit from the Hospital's extensive substance misuse and vocational programmes. With the ability to treat duel diagnosis, these wards provide a cost effective alternative to Low Secure or PICU, with treatment and therapy programmes to address complex needs.

Aims & Objectives

The specific aims & objectives of our Locked Challenging Behaviour service are to:

  • Effectively reconcile the need for a therapeutic approach and environment with the need for an appropriate level of physical security
  • Treatments to look at symptom reduction and the reduction of risk in relation to mental illness symptoms
  • Provide a multi-disciplinary approach and input to service delivery
  • Provide comprehensive assessments of needs and risk, which include family, carer and where appropriate victim needs
  • Develop a care plan that meets an individual's health and social care that is regularly evaluated and reformulated
  • Involve service users and their carer's in individual care planning decisions
  • Ensure that care is delivered through a range of therapies and interventions tailored to meet individual needs
  • Ensure effective through-care discharge planning and delivery
  • Promotion of both physical and mental health well being
  • Provide facilities for meaningful occupation and recreation
  • Ensure an aesthetically pleasing environment and surroundings
  • Ensure that there is sufficient space and storage to allow accumulation of personal effects
  • Ensure that the buildings are homely in appearance
  • Provide facilities that can cater for people with special needs
  • Ensure effective communication and liaison with all agencies if required in the care of the individual
  • Ensure continued links with home area provider, care co-ordinator and RC
  • Ensure the funding PCT is regularly updated and informed
  • Provide appropriate support for the provision of independent advocacy and other voluntary input
  • Work in a close and co-ordinated way with core community and acute services to provide the highest possible quality care throughout the service.
  • Promote social inclusion and equality

Admission Criteria

Admissions to the service are based on the level of risk, level of security required to manage that risk, risk in relation to mental disorder and failure to respond to previous interventions. The service will accept admissions whose movements are restricted by the Courts or Home Office i.e. those who are detained under Part III of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  • Male and Female
  • Age 18+
  • Will be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983
  • Displaying one or more of the stated behavioural characteristics:
    • I. Aggression and violence towards people and property
    • II. Absconding: usually periodic or persistent, the consequences of the absconding are may be serious
    • III. Sexually problematic behaviour (not related to particular offence category)
    • IV. Suicidal behaviour
  • Presenting with behaviour that cannot be managed safely in an open environment
  • They do not present a grave or immediate risk to others, but can present with immediate risk to self, i.e. risk of self-harm/suicide. There are significant risks in relation to mental disorder or short-term risk/symptoms requiring stabilisation
  • They have had multiple attempts at treatment or are assessed as not being able to respond to transitional services but are able to move along the rehabilitation care pathway

Location

We provide our Locked Challenging Behaviour service at the following Cygnet Health hospital:

Treatment available at: