This week, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) opened its newly redeveloped Bamburgh Clinic, marking a major upgrade in facilities and a significant step forward in improving patient experience and outcomes.
The unit is based at the Trust’s St Nicholas Hospital site in Gosforth. Part of the government’s New Hospital Programme, Bamburgh Clinic has undergone extensive refurbishment to meet the needs of services.
It is made up of three 18-bed wards, including one male ward and two female wards. Each provides care for people over 18 with a mental illness who require assessment and treatment in hospital.
Patients have moved to Bamburgh Clinic from the Campus of Ageing and Vitality (CAV) in Newcastle.
In 2023, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that, while services were rated good for effectiveness, caring, responsiveness and leadership, the environment at CAV was not fit for purpose.
The move sees a significant improvement in the safety and quality of care for patients.
Russell Patton, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at CNTW, said: “We’re extremely proud of the work that has gone into redeveloping and moving patients into Bamburgh Clinic.
“By redeveloping the site, we’re ensuring the Trust continues to be a provider of high-quality care for those who need it most. It’s a long-term investment and will ensure we can continue to provide care in the heart of the North East for years to come.”
Kelly Myers, Associate Director for the Trust’s inpatient services, said: “We’re really excited to have moved into Bamburgh Clinic.
“The reopening is the result of the hard work and dedication from numerous staff to provide a much-improved environment for our patients, staff and visitors. The environments have been designed to reduce restriction, maximise the therapeutic offer and support recovery.”
The move to Bamburgh Clinic is part of the Trust’s CEDAR (Care Environment Development and Reprovision) programme.
CEDAR is a multi-million-pound investment and involves the Trust moving, building and redeveloping facilities to ensure high-quality care in modern and safe environments.
The programme has included other major developments such as the state-of-the-art secure facility Sycamore in Morpeth and moving children and young people’s services to Ferndene in Prudhoe.
Older adult services are scheduled to move from CAV to St Nicholas Hospital later in the year.