New acute patient facility among the best in the world

New acute patient facility among the best in the world

²gether's new acute mental health hospital was officially opened in Gloucestershire on Monday 5 July and is already being described as one of the best in the world.

The state of art Psychiatric Intensive Care Inpatient Unit (PICU) is a £3M investment for Gloucestershire and is the result of five years dedicated planning and build work.

The unit, on the Wotton Lawn Hospital site in Gloucester, was named Greyfriars when it was officially opened by Lady Elwes, former Non Executive of ²gether NHS Foundation Trust and former Chair of the Gloucestershire Ambulance NHS Trust.

The centre provides care and treatment for people whose safe management and treatment is not possible on an open acute ward.  It has 10 individual bedrooms with en-suite facilities within a building that uses the very latest technology in green building design including solar power, rainwater harvesting and wind catchers.

The innovations help to reduce running costs through better use of natural light and ventilation and therefore less energy consumption from lighting and air conditioning.

Following feedback to the Trust from our service users, the facility includes new technologies developed by the ²gether Trust for use in psychiatric care, including computer assisted security and infrared technology.

Other features include a state of the art effects area using LED lighting, artwork and music to produce therapeutic effects.  There is also a fitted games room which includes; exercise equipment and a variety of audio visual technology.  The building has already been nominated for several public building awards.

Lady Elwes is pictured above (left) with Baroness Fritchie DBE, ²gether NHS Foundation Trust Chair