All ten bedrooms at Wood Lea Clinic in Bromham, Bedfordshire, have been refurbished, including new bathrooms, furniture, and televisions in every room. Some also have new en-suite facilities.
The kitchen and ward furniture have been replaced, staff areas have been refurbished, and new canopies and furniture have been installed in the garden to create a safer and more engaging space.
A new de-escalation and breakout room has been created, where patients requiring additional support can be cared for in a calm environment before returning to the main ward.
The building has also been decorated, with a fresh coat of paint, new flooring, new exterior cladding, murals and artwork which were chosen in collaboration with patients.
Wood Lea Clinic provides assessment and treatment for men who have a learning disability and mental health needs, and have committed a criminal offence.
It is run by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) and our specialist teams provide treatment and rehabilitation, as well as opportunities for education and training.
Their aim is to support people to manage their health and well-being, address their offending, and help them to develop skills to live as independently as possible.
Ian Carr, Director of EPUT’s Specialist Services Care Unit, which runs the service, said: “We want to make sure our patients receive the very best care in a modern, safe, and therapeutic environment.
“As a Trust, we have been investing in updating inpatient wards such as Wood Lea to ensure they meet the latest safety standards and meet the needs of our patients.
“Many of our patients stay at Wood Lea for extended periods of time, usually around three years, so it’s especially important that it feels as close to a homely environment as possible while they are with us.”
The refurbishment took 12 months to complete and some patients were cared for in other settings while the work took place.
EPUT’s Capital Projects and Estates and Facilities teams worked closely with Forest Gate Construction and Castons Surveyors, who carried out the renovation.
A ceremony to mark completion of the work was held on Wednesday 23 October with EPUT’s Chair Sheila Salmon formally reopening the unit.
Sheila Salmon said: “It was really great to see such good facilities for our patients, especially as many of them are treated in the unit for extended periods of time.
“The clinic now has a more home from home feel to it which will be calming for our patients and the new garden furniture makes the space safer and will encourage our patients to spend more time in the fresh air.”
Guests who also visited the unit during the reopening included Richard Fuller MP, Member for North Bedfordshire, local councillors, and staff from our construction partners.
Representatives from the East of England Collaborative, which oversee admissions to Wood Lea, also attended.