Last month marked the opening of Livewell Southwest’s brand-new Extra Care Area (ECA) at the Glenbourne Unit, an acute mental health ward for adults who are too unwell to be treated at home.
Funded by NHS England, the Extra Care Area (ECA) within Livewell is a secure psychiatric facility, offering a therapeutic, safe, and supportive environment that aids in the recovery of patients with a mental health illness who are suffering with severe distress and/or a change in behaviour where they need support outside of a regular mental health ward.
The purpose of the ECA is to provide a local service equipped to care for patients, over a short period of time, who cannot be safely nursed on an open mental health ward, which will aid in the aim of reducing the use of out of area beds and the need for Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) use.
Creating a quiet and calming environment separate from the main unit, gives patients an opportunity to take time alone to reflect on their thoughts and behaviours and to work on managing their emotional and physical wellbeing, while maintaining their safety and dignity.
Investing in this facility and introducing a new way of working within the Glenbourne Unit, now allows mental health patients, who require extra care, to remain in Plymouth, removing the need for patients to be transferred out of area, to other facilities, away from loved one’s and professionals who know them, which minimises the risk of longer admissions and potential poorer experiences for the patient.
By staying in an Extra Care Area within their community, patients are able to receive the right care, at the right time, leading to better outcomes for patient care and improved well-being of all people involved.
Eva Jakobsen – Interim Directorate Manager Mental Health and Wellbeing (MHWB), commented: “This is a fantastic achievement by all those involved. We have strived to ensure that the design and function was in collaboration with our experts by experience. It has been really great to think about the art of the possibilities and make changes across the acute care pathway to support our patients and workforce, which enables care to be provided with compassion, dignity and in the least restrictive manner. I am really proud of what we have achieved.”
The ECA suite consists of one main bedroom, a lounge and dining area, toilet and shower facilities, an outside patio area, and has an observation space for staff.
Two of the walls (one in the living room and one in the bedroom area) have been decorated with imagery taken locally on Dartmoor. Combining natural elements into our building designs helps to aid in the recovery of the patient by reducing stress levels and encouraging relaxation.
One particularly special piece of equipment in the suite is the reconnect board, which was designed by mental health nurses in the Netherlands. The reconnect board allows patients in the Extra Care Area to access their medication apps, daily agendas, and provides 24/7 access to their personal care plan. Patients can also play a range of interactive activities such as draughts and upload pictures of their family and friends, pets, and places that may mean something to them, helping to strengthen their connection with home.
Lucy Hill, Interim Matron of the Glenbourne Unit at Livewell, commented: “I’m really delighted to have been a champion for the new suite and to see that it’s no longer just an idea in my head, it’s an actual reality now. It is a really proud moment for us all here at Glenbourne knowing that we’ve been able to enhance the offer of care for our patients.”