Livewell Southwest has been awarded £3 million to upgrade one of its mental health units which will improve the safety, privacy and dignity of patients staying there.
Livewell Southwest is the social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services in Plymouth and parts of South Hams and West Devon.
The organisation is one of 21 trusts to benefit from the funding from the Department of Health and Social Care, which will be used to refurbish an old dormitory on Livewell’s Glenbourne Unit and create 14 single bedded en-suite rooms.
Glenbourne is Livewell’s acute mental health hospital for adults who are too unwell to be treated at home are cared for.
There are two existing single sex wards and another ward – the Old Bridford Ward, which until March was unused.
During the Coronavirus pandemic, the ward was reopened to free up additional urgent care community beds at the Local Care Centre and to relieve pressure at University Hospitals Plymouth.
The money will allow the permanent reopening of the Old Bridford Ward and for it to be converted into two single sex wards with en-suite facilities, plus a dayroom, dining room and staff accommodation between the two wings, meaning better facilities for the patients and staff.
Geoff Baines, Director of Safety and Quality at Livewell Southwest said: “We’re delighted to have received funding which will allow us to give a much needed upgrade to the Old Bridford Ward by getting rid of the current dormitory style unit and creating two additional single sex wards.
“This is a really fantastic investment for our mental health services and will really enhance patient care by improving the privacy and dignity of individuals staying there and will help towards improved patient outcomes.
“This also means we can keep the surge beds open on the old Cotehele Unit should we need them during the winter or a second COVID-19 outbreak.”
Work is due to start in spring 2021.
