Ferndene
Ferndene provides assessment and treatment for young people who have complex health, behavioural and emotional needs, including young people with a learning disability.
Ferndene is a purpose-built £27million inpatient centre. It was the first such integrated service of its kind in the country and is based on the former Prudhoe Hosptial site, 12 miles west of Newcastle.
The modern facilities provide accommodation for children and young people from North East England and Cumbria. Some of the specialist services also get referrals from across the United Kingdom.
Opened in autumn 2011, the purpose-built centre provides a range of therapeutic educational, social and recreational facilities and at the time of opening was the first such integrated mental health and learning disability service in the UK.
Ferndene was designed with the involvement of service users, their carers and children from the local community. Design features enable the integration of internal and external space using a woodland theme. The ethos of Ferndene is to offer a calm and therapeutic environment, ensuring young people experience an ordinary routine during their stay by separating living and educational space.
Ferndene has three different units:
- The Riding: there are a total of 10 beds on The Riding, providing comprehensive assessment and treatment for young persons between the ages of 13-18 years old. Four are for young people with psychiatric intensive care needs and six are for low secure environmental needs of young people.
- Stephenson: provides inpatient assessment and treatment for young people aged 12 to 18 years who have complex mental health needs and require a high level of supervision in a medium secure environment. This includes young people with a learning disability.
- Redburn: an inpatient general adolescent service with 10 beds providing specialist care and treatment to young people with severe and or complex mental disorders who cannot be adequately or safely treated within community children and young people’s services (CYPS). This includes young people with mild learning disability and autism spectrum disorders who do not need inpatient CAMHS learning disability services.
All the young people have their own bedroom, most of which have en-suite facilities. In addition, there is a wide range of therapy, educational, social and recreational facilities. Ferndene also has a flat for visiting families and office accommodation for staff.
Maximising the therapeutic and social benefits experienced by young people during their stay is a priority at Ferndene. A central social space forms the heart of the unit, with a number of informal spaces enhancing the concept of listening that is promoted throughout Ferndene.
Young people have access to:
- Activities and recreation centre
- Art room
- Café
- Educational / IT suite
- Flower meadow
- Group rooms
- Interview rooms
- ‘Listening posts’ providing young peoples’ poetry
- Meeting rooms
Services at Ferndene are part of a care pathway which is delivered alongside Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and with multi-agency partners. Referrals are accepted from anywhere in the UK and are through a single point of access system. Staff will then advise on the most appropriate and effective way of meeting the patient’s needs in Ferndene.
Referrals are accepted from Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) teams, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services , Consultant Paediatricians or by other inpatient services.
Who can be referred?
Young people who have undergone a full mental health assessment and have a diagnosis of severe acute and/or complex mental health, behavioural and emotional needs
- Children and young people under 18 years of age
- Young people with full spectrum of mental health and learning disabilities
- Males and females
- Formal and informal patients
- Young people requiring an enhanced level of inpatient care not available within community services
Referrals are accepted in writing, by hard copy, fax or email. Informal enquiries and advice are welcomed by telephone prior to referrals. Staff are trained to design packages of care that maximise the therapeutic and social benefits experienced by all young people during their stay at Ferndene.