Newton Lodge (The Yorkshire Centre for Forensic Psychiatry)

About the service

Newton Lodge (also known as The Yorkshire Centre for Forensic Psychiatry) is a 90 bed medium secure hospital based at Fieldhead in Wakefield. The service provides care and treatment for women and men with mental health problems and men with a learning disability from across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Within the hospital there are seven wards, each having a different focus and philosophy to address the needs of service users at a particular stage in their treatment and recovery.

The wards are:

• Bronte – a 7 bedded psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU)
• Hepworth – a 15 bedded male assessment ward
• Waterton – a 16 bedded enhanced recovery ward
• Priestley – a 17 bedded active recovery ward
• Johnson – a 15 bedded female assessment and recovery ward
• Appleton – an 8 bedded learning disability assessment ward
• Chippendale – a 12 bedded learning disability recovery ward

Following admission, a service user’s needs are fully assessed and a plan of care and treatment is formulated to meet their unique needs. The admission wards provide care to service users experiencing an acute phase of their mental health problem. Most often a service user will be admitted to one of these wards so that their needs can be fully assessed and staff can get to know them.

Following this period of assessment, a service user can progress to another ward to continue their treatment and rehabilitation, focusing on promoting recovery, increasing independence and working towards a future transfer or discharge.

View the Newton Lodge service user welcome booklet, you can also take a look at NHS England’s secure carers toolkit.

Why would someone choose the service?

• Newton Lodge recently underwent a state of the art £15m redevelopment to provide a purpose-built and modern accommodation. The three year project involved the refurbishment and new build of four wards and the development of a £4.8m activity centre which features a full size sports hall, gym, art room, workshops and a music room. A primary healthcare suite is also included with treatment and consulting rooms as well as a dental suite. This means people in Newton Lodge can get exactly the same standard of NHS care as the rest of the country but within a medium secure environment.
• 82% of service users rated their care and treatment as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ in a recent survey.
• 89% of service users said they were treated with dignity and respect.
• 71% of people said they were ‘extremely likely’ or ‘likely’ to recommend Newton Lodge to family or friends.
• Service users feel they learn important skills to aid them in their recovery while at Newton Lodge. One service user commented: “I have learnt a lot of helpful life skills being here at Newton Lodge.”
• Staff at Newton Lodge are approachable, friendly and professional and maintain a caring environment. One service user said: “I share a lot of thoughts and experiences with patients and staff to get over my problems.”

We also have a newsletter for families and carers, you can read our latest newsletter here.

Staff you may meet

Dietitian

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.

Doctor

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.

Non-clinical support staff

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.

Nurse

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.

Nursing assistant

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 therapist

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.

Other clinical staff

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.

Psychologist

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. 

Receptionist

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.

Social worker

Social workers help, support and protect people who are facing difficulties in their lives. They help people to take positive steps to overcome problems and improve their lives. This could involve assessing and reviewing a service user’s situation, building relationships with service users and their families and agreeing what practical support someone needs.

Ward staff

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.