Locked Female Learning Disabilities Service
This specialist health service for women with learning disabilities is located on Hansa Ward within Cygnet Hospital Beckton, a female hospital. It is designed for service users for whom mainstream provision cannot meet their needs.
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The service benefits from access to specialist forensic expertise and ready access to supportive living placement in the service users place of address. Services are delivered by a range of approaches, including uni-professional, multi-professional and multi-agency approaches, depending on the needs of individual service users.
It is an inpatient provision for female service users aged 18 and over with a learning disability and associated challenging behaviour and mental health needs that mean detention under the Mental Health Act is appropriate. Subject to individual assessment of risk, informal service users may also be accepted.
Treatment Philosophy
The ethos of our care and treatment is based on the recovery and user centered approach. Our patient centered care pathway supports and encourages service users to achieve positive personal outcomes, increase pro-social behaviors, reduce risk and improve service user's access to community services.
Treatment programmes facilitate skills development and therapeutic activities are underpinned by the principles of cognitive behavioural, creative and psychodynamic therapy tailored to individual intellectual functioning. The care pathway is supported by a skilled multi professional team including educational support and social work, conforming to the Care Programme Approach and Valuing People.
The Environment
Located at Cygnet Hospital Beckton, Hansa Ward is a 12 bedded newly refurbished facility that offers an appropriate level of security within a contemporary homely environment.
Individual bedrooms offer en-suite facilities. Other facilities include an on-site education facility for services users who are unable to access local colleges, and a sensory room. A TV and separate quiet lounge are complimented by other rooms for therapeutic activities and treatment groups including access to an enclosed garden.
The locked ward provides a homely atmosphere, has separate facilities for visitors, and secure outdoor areas to provide fresh air and recreation for those who cannot access other on-site or community facilities.
Admission Criteria
The eligibility criteria for this service will be based on females with learning disability and who may have associated complex mental health issues who fall in the following categories:
- Significant impairment of intellectual functioning evidenced by recent assessment using a standardized measure of intellectual functioning. (Admission of those whose intellectual functioning lies outside this range, usually those with borderline levels of intellectual functioning, may be considered under exceptional circumstances according to clinical need).
- Significant impairment of adaptive functioning, as evidenced by recent assessment, including standardized assessment where possible.
- Onset of impairment in intellectual and adaptive functioning present in the developmental period.
- May have additional mental disorders.
- Have an identified secondary mental health team (either in AMH or LD).
Referrals
Referrals can be made by email, in writing, by phone or fax. All referrers will need to complete a referral form. A member of the service team will contact the referrer within 1hour of receipt of the referral by telephone to discuss the referral and arrange a date for a pre-admission assessment.
The assessment will establish the suitability for admission and explore treatment goals. A provisional agreement for admission will be confirmed. This will be provided to the referrer to pursue commissioning authorisation.
Once funding for admission is agreed an admission date will be established. The service will accept referrals from PCTs, learning disability professionals' court assessment teams, and other NHS organisations.
Why Refer to Hansa Ward?
- The Hansa service is underpinned by Value Principles and Recovery.
- Care & treatment focuses on 'Ability' as opposed to 'Disability'.
- The treatment programme facilitates skills development and pro-social behaviour.