The Brookside unit is divided into two main services onsite - there are two inpatient services, (The inpatient service and the Young People’s Home Treatment Team). We are a national service for inpatient admissions.

Redevelopment
Brookside underwent extensive environmental remodelling during 2016. The new environment is focussed on accessibility and openness and we are keen that this is reflected in the culture in relation to restrictive practice. All CYP’s are given their own door fob so that they can access their own bedrooms and other areas of the unit unimpeded.

Calming room
A ‘calming room’ has been specifically designed to enable staff to support the management of young people when in crisis, without impacting on the wider ward community. This will also avoid any potential seclusion of patients. The calming room is designed in such a way that once in use the door cannot be locked, so the CYP has the option of leaving the room whenever they wish. While in the room they would always be supervised by staff and hence receive an enhanced level of support, attention, reassurance and encouragement.

Capacity
The building works have included redesign of all bedrooms. The unit now has capacity for 15 young people aged 12-17, 11 female and 4 male acute beds. Separate areas for both male and female young people have been identified as part of the plans.

The therapeutic environment has been enhanced with art work in bedrooms and throughout the unit. New furniture and kitchen areas have been included in the unit re-design.

Catering
The unit has developed a new catering programme to enable young people to participate in food preparation and those facilitates are now available to them.

Family wing
There is a dedicated family wing for visiting parents to enable parents to stay on the unit, including a separate kitchen where families can prepare and enjoy a meal away from the main unit. We have had very positive feedback from parents who have used this facility.

Sensory room
A sensory room, de-escalation room and two DDA compliant bedrooms have also been included. There is an open plan environment for day activities and the school has also been redecorated.

The redesign of the unit has focussed on enabling young people to have free flow of movement around the unit. This allows Young People free access to the toilets and drinks. It avoids the potential of informal patients being ‘de-facto’ detained.

The building re-design has provided a separate wing for parents to wait in comfort. Staff will keep parents updated when there are delays in accessing the unit.

Young People Home Treatment Team (YPHTT)

The Young Person’s Home Treatment Team (YPHTT) works alongside an inpatient service; it aims to increase the service scope to provide best evidence-based practice for young people with acute mental health conditions and their families, in the least restrictive manner, to enhance patient experience. Home treatment, which implies, “hospital in the home” can act as a bridge between inpatient services and community services, to prevent an admission, or facilitate early discharge back to the community.

We look after young people aged 12-17 across Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest and we can admit up to 17 young people.

The aims of the YPHTT is:

• Treatment as close to home as possible
• Evidence based interventions
• Right treatment, right time and right place
• Recovery focused interventions with an emphasis on least disruption to young people’s schooling
• Empowering of families and young people to become resilient
• Prevention of hospitalisation or where it cannot be prevented, a reduced length of stay
• Integrated offer of care with integrated working with our partners in social services and education
• Effective management of crisis and risk in the community with the offer of a home treatment team, providing a 24/7 service.