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Melton suite psychiatric intensive care unit (Barnsley)
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About the service
Melton suite is a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) which provides intensive nursing care for both male and female patients. The 6 bedded unit supports service users, who are in an acute phase of mental illness and are usually detained under the Mental Health Act. Service users may come to us with difficult to manage symptoms such as aggression or disinhibition (inappropriate behaviour) as well as other associated risks which do not allow them to be safely managed and treated in an acute inpatient ward.
Our aim is to provide a safe environment for people and to manage their condition in the least restrictive setting. Before any patient is admitted to the unit, a comprehensive assessment is completed to ensure that the admission is appropriate to the individual’s needs.
Melton suite aims to create a positive and collaborative atmosphere between staff, service users, their families and carers by promoting relationships based on mutual trust and an open approach to care and treatment.
The service supports and enables service users to realise their full potential in achieving recovery, ensuring that patients’ expectations are negotiated and agreed with every individual involved in their care. This is at the centre of daily activity on Melton suite.
The unit provides a proactive and positive approach to care by using effective interventions, activities and open communication to promote a safe and therapeutic environment.
Staff you may meet
- Dietitians use the science of food to help people to make good choices about food and lifestyle. Nutrition is an important part of recovery and wellbeing. All service users admitted to a Trust ward have their nutritional state assessed.
- There are more than 60 different specialities that doctors work within the NHS. Each is unique but there are many characteristics which are common. Roles range from working in a hospital to being based in the community as a GP.
- Domestic staff have a vital role in helping to care for patients. They work in one of three key areas; catering, cleaning or laundry services. All of these services play an important part in aiding an individual’s recovery.
- Nurses who choose to specialise in the mental health branch of nursing work with GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, and others, to help care for patients. Increasingly, care is given in the community, with mental health nurses visiting patients and their families at home, in residential centres, in prisons or in specialist clinics or units.
- There are many people who work behind the scenes to keep services running and you may meet them in hospital or community settings. They include porters, cleaners, plumbers, electricians, decorators receptionists and secretaries who all work to make sure healthcare settings are kept clean, tidy and safe.
- Nursing or healthcare assistants work in hospital or community settings under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional. They help doctors, nurses and therapists give people the care and treatment they need.
- Occupational therapy is the assessment and treatment of physical and psychiatric conditions using specific, purposeful activity to prevent disability and promote independent function in all aspects of daily life.
- The NHS employs a wide range of clinical staff, it wouldn’t be possible to list them all on this website! All our clinical staff are skilled, dedicated professionals who adhere to high standards of training and work-place practice.
- Physiotherapists help people to improve their range of movement in order to promote health and well being. This can help people to live more independently.
- Porters work within the Trust facilities team moving and delivering post, equipment and medication to locations across the organisation. They also help to move frail and often very ill patients between different departments and wards in safety and comfort.
- Adult psychotherapists work with people to assess and treat a range of emotional, social or mental health issues. They help people tackle problems such as behavioural issues, common challenges such as anxiety and depression or more complex or severe issues, such as psychosis or a personality disorder diagnosis.
- Receptionists are the first link for many patients and visitors. They often work on their own or with one or two other receptionists, greeting patients as they arrive and check them in. They might also collect patient notes and ensure that these vital records go to the right healthcare professional. In a clinic, they may make appointments and arrange patient transport.
- We have a range of specialist advisors working in our Trust – they give advice on a wide range of different things, depending on what service they work in. So it could be, for example, mental health, stopping smoking, healthy eating or diabetes.
- On a ward you will see many different members of staff, not all of them are clinical staff! Non-clinical staff include housekeepers and administrators. Ward housekeepers work with other staff to make sure everywhere is clean and tidy and that you have good food. Administrators have clerical and admin roles, like keeping patient notes filed safely, and they can often help you with general enquiries. If you’re not sure who anybody is please ask them to explain.
Support offered
- Medication
- Assessment of symptoms, both physical and psychological
- Assessment of social circumstances
- Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT)
- Activities and/or group sessions
- Talking and listening
- Risk assessment
- Drug and alcohol use/misuse assessment
- Drug and/or alcohol withdrawal treatment
- Medication management and side effect monitoring
- Supportive observations
- Family work
- Educational sessions; both individual and group sessions can be offered e.g. healthy living, smoking cessation, information on diagnosis
- Occupational therapy
- Psychology assessment
- Anxiety management
- Occupational activities, such as music, art, and cooking group
- Other activities including games, gym, pool
Outcomes
- Melton suite aims to complete a comprehensive assessment to determine the patient’s needs – working in partnership with the patient to meet these needs
- We aim to reduce risk factors identified in the admission process in order to step patients back down to an inpatient ward or, if necessary, step up to secure provisions
- All interventions offered to patients are recovery-based and look at establishing therapeutic engagement with patients. This involves healthcare professionals spending quality time with patients and aims to empower the patient to actively participate in their care
- This engagement helps to clarify diagnosis improve functional capacity and self-management skills whilst working towards relapse prevention and risk management plans
- A robust assessment of needs and associated risks has taken place prior to admission to the unit. These should include a clear rationale for assessment and treatment
- The unit environment must be considered to be the least restrictive environment which is clinically appropriate
Referrals accepted from:
CMHTs, Consultants, Courts, Hospital staff, Other NHS services, Other Trust services
Referral criteria:
Admission criteria:
- Service users are displaying a high risk of suicide or high risk of significant self-harm and there is a need to provide intensive observation and treatment to prevent further episodes. This treatment cannot be safely managed with increased staffing input on an open ward
- Service users are displaying a significant or imminent risk of violence and aggression (actual or threatened) as a direct result of their mental state and are extremely mentally unwell
- Service users are displaying a persistent risk of absconding, where any subsequent sequence of events would result in dangerous outcomes (i.e. risk to self or others)
- Service users are displaying symptoms of over-activity or disinhibition which is placing them or others at risk. These symptoms sit within the setting of a serious mental disorder which cannot be safely managed with increased staffing input on an open ward
- It has been demonstrated that combined management strategies have not succeeded in addressing or containing the current problems
- Positive benefits must be expected to be gained from a time-limited admission
- A robust assessment of needs and associated risks has taken place prior to admission to the unit. These should include a clear rationale for assessment and treatment
- The unit environment must be considered to be the least restrictive environment which is clinically appropriate