HEALTH chiefs are celebrating the completion of a new £10m unit for adults with learning disabilities.
Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust has opened Ashford, a ten-bed ward at Tatchbury Mount, Calmore, for men who have been detained under the Mental Health Act.
The unit occupies the former site of Rufus Lodge, an unused building that was longer suitable for clinical use.
Southern Health’s deputy chief medical officer, Dr Mayura Deshpande, said: "By creating a new, safe and modern space in its place, we are now able to welcome our patients back to Calmore after they’d temporarily been cared for by our staff in Fareham, during construction.”
The ward was originally located on another part of the Tatchbury site - Woodhaven - which has since become Austen House.
Southern Health worked with construction contractor Kier to involve staff, patients and families in various elements of Ashford's design.
Dr Deshpande said the building had ten en-suite bedrooms plus a raft of other facilities including a de-escalation and seclusion area, sensory, music and art rooms; a family visiting room and a multi-faith room."
Ashford’s matron, Rachel Makgatho, said the new unit provided patients with a safe and welcoming environment.
"This allows for therapeutic interventions to take place which encourage them to take responsibility, stay healthy, get along with others and keep busy," she said.
"This in turn supports the patients to develop the skills to live lives that are personally meaningful, enabling them to eventually move to independent living in the community.
“The design of the ward has been carefully thought out, allowing patients to spend time socialising in communal areas whilst also providing quiet, calm spaces for spending time away from others.
"This meets the needs of all our patients, including those with autistic spectrum conditions for whom space to walk and quiet areas can be vital.”
New Forest East MP Julian Lewis, who attended the opening, said: "Once again, we see the unveiling of a high-quality mental health facility on the Tatchbury Mount site.
"It is fast becoming a hub for state-of-the-art units to care for those cruelly challenged by mental illness."
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