Riding at Ferndene – A young person’s guide

Staff and some of the young people at Riding have put together this information. We hope this will give you an idea of what to expect when you arrive.

Riding is a specialist adolescent mental health unit based in Prudhoe, Northumberland. Riding has 10 beds, providing comprehensive assessment and treatment for young people between the ages of 13 and 18 with mental health and/or learning disability needs.

Four of these beds are for young people with Psychiatric Intensive Care needs and six are for young people with low secure needs.

Riding is part of a small hospital called Ferndene, which is made up of three wards and the Activities Resource Centre (the ARC).

The hospital is open 24 hours a day and is staffed with trained nurses, support workers and a wide range of other health professionals.

A doctor has decided that it is the best place for you to offer support, assess your needs and provide any possible treatment. Staff at Riding will support you to get the right treatment to help you.

Our aim is to ensure that you do not stay in hospital for longer than necessary and the whole team will work with you to ensure that your admission period is as short as possible.

You can bring your own clothes and personal/activity items to the ward. You can bring certain items to make your hospital bedroom more homely. You will be able to wash and dry your own clothes.

If you have not done this before we will help you learn these skills. Your clothes can also be taken home to wash if preferred. You will also need to bring your own toiletries.

If you do not have access to these things, we will be able to provide some for you. We also provide towels, just ask any of the staff on the ward and they will get some for you.

• Anything very expensive
• Pets (though they can visit)
• Anything that is not age appropriate

This is not a full list; ward staff will give you further advice about the other items not allowed. If you bring anything with you that isn’t allowed on the ward, it will be kept safely in patient stores for you or can be returned to your parents/ carers.

Everyone has their own bedroom with an attached shower room. There are also baths on the ward which you can access if you prefer. You can tidy your room during free time. Your shower room will be cleaned for you, domestic staff will do this daily.

Each bedroom has Oxevision. The Oxevision system checks your breathing and pulse without the need for someone to disturb you. If you would like more information, please ask staff for a copy of the Oxevision patient information leaflet.

The nursing team will support you to maintain contact with your family, carers and friends. We have plenty of space for visits along with the use of Keeping In Touch (KIT) computers where you can video call.

Most young people will be able to have leave at some point, including overnight stays at home. If we are worried about your safety or the safety of others, you may need to be accompanied out of the unit with staff.

The ward team is made up of nurses, nursing assistants, activity facilitators, and peer supporters. Each staff member will wear a different colour uniform depending on their role. Staff will be able to provide you with a key that explains these colours if that’s something you’d find helpful.

During your time on Riding, you will also be supported by the multidisciplinary team (often referred to as the MDT). This is a group of health professionals who each bring a different set of knowledge and skills to your care and treatment.

The MDT will work with the ward team to plan and deliver your care and provide support in their areas of expertise.

If you are already receiving support from a community team they will stay involved throughout your admission.

You will be given a weekly timetable, this will tell you which activities and therapeutic or educational sessions you are expected to attend. We can support you to continue your existing education or to help you develop new skills.

There is a dining room on the ward. Meals are served at:
Breakfast: 8:30am (weekends are later)
Lunch: 12pm
Tea-time: 5pm
Supper: 9pm

There is more information about meals and how to order your meals in the Welcome Guide.

There is a QR code at the end of this booklet which will show you the Welcome Guide.

Advocacy – Coram Voice
Telephone: 0808 800 5792
Online: www.coramvoice.org.uk

While you are in hospital under the Mental Health Act, you can speak with an Independent Mental Health Advocate. The advocate does not work for the hospital but is there to make sure you know and understand your rights and to help you to tell people what you want to happen when they are making decisions for you. They will help you attend meetings if you want to and support you to make sure your voice is heard.

Peer support
On Riding we have two Peer Supporters. A Peer Supporter is someone who uses their own lived experience of mental health to support others. We have been through some of things you might be going through right now and can understand some of what you might be feeling and thinking.

We are based on the ward and are here if you need us. It may be that you just want to chat, play games, and do activities, or you may want to explore ideas that could help you. We are here to make sure your voice is heard and your views are listened to and we can support you to attend meetings about your care.

Your Voice
www.yourvoice.cntw.nhs.uk
You can provide anonymous feedback about your care, treatment, and the ward environment by completing a ‘Your Voice’ card or online.

Can I bring my own bedding?
Unfortunately, you can’t bring your own bedding. For fire safety reasons, our hospitals use fire-safe bedding. We will provide you with your own bedding and this will be washed regularly.

Can I have my phone and what are the restrictions on this?
Phones are restricted items which are assessed on an individual basis. If you are putting yourself or others in danger by using your phone, or if you are using it inappropriately, we may need to keep your phone stored safely in one of our lockers until you feel better.

You may also be allowed your phone but need to be supervised to use it. This will all be fully discussed with you.

What do the different pathways mean?
Young people on the Riding will either be on the psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) pathway or the low secure unit (LSU) pathway. Both pathways are designed to offer high levels of care and treatment to young people who require intensive levels of support due to a mental health condition and/or a learning disability.

The main difference between the two pathways is the length of a young person’s admission. The PICU pathway is designed to be a six-week pathway helping young people recover from an acute mental health disorder. The low secure pathway is designed for young people with a mental health condition and/or a learning disability who require a longer and more intensive stay in hospital.

Staff and young people have worked together to create this list of mutual expectations. We hope that everyone on Riding, whether you are a young person or a member of staff, will try their best to follow. These are an example of our mutual expectations as they are updated fortnightly.

Do:
• attend structured days
• give each other space if struggling
• wear appropriate clothing in communal areas
• be kind and considerate to each other
• be respectful
• be polite use kind words

Don’t:
• damage property
• assault staff or peers
• leave personal belonging s in communal areas
• access each other’s bedrooms
• shout or swear at each other

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

• talk to the people directly involved in your care
• ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website
• telephone the Complaints Department on 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected]. Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk

We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention. You can provide feedback in the following ways:

• the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourvoice
• complete a Your Voice survey, available on wards, reception areas or from staff
• other options for sharing your feedback and experience www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourfeedback

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your or your loved ones care.

We act independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary, we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

North of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 032 0202
Email: [email protected]
Post: FREEPOST PALS

9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday

An answerphone is available at all times for you to leave a message. A member of the PALS team will aim to return your call as soon as possible.

If you still feel you have questions about Riding, we also have a welcome guide available. Please ask staff for a printed copy or view it online.

Contact details
Riding Young People’s Unit
Ferndene Hospital
Moor Road
Prudhoe
Northumberland
NE42 5PB

Telephone: 01661 838 513

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre on 0191 246 7288.

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2025 Copyright: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Ref: PIC/873/0125 January 2025 V3

Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0191 246 7288

Review date 2028