5 January 2023

At the end of October 2022 we said we will open a new intensive rehabilitation triage – 8 beds -  at our Kingswood Centre in Brent in the New Year. This new facility – Preston Triage Ward - will offer intensive rehabilitation support to people with mental health difficulties who no longer need to be in an acute inpatient unit.

After a big effort this unit will open in the next week.

Sara Pountney, Head of Rehabilitation at CNWL, said

“This Triage Ward means Inpatient Rehabilitation Services can trial a new clinical model to increase flow through inpatient rehabilitation pathway, alleviating pressure on A&Es and stepping down at least 42 patients over the pilot phase. The learning approach could be extended to other areas of the pathway and gives us a unique opportunity to concept test these models.”

“Some patients who are medically fit to leave our inpatient settings have to wait one or two weeks to move onto a rehabilitation unit while we wait for a bed to become available. This new inpatient rehabilitation triage unit will bridge that gap and offer intensive intervention to them for between six to 12 weeks before they move into a less intensive environment; reducing the length of time they spend in an acute inpatient unit.”

“The new unit will also help create more beds for those who need them at a time when admissions are increasing and expected to increase further during the winter.”

Following a six to 12 week stay they will be stepped down to therapeutic care for up to 12 weeks and, if appropriate, then onto supported living or independent living.

Read the announcement made in October 2022.