Robert Largan, High Peak MP, has praised the dedication of staff at a specialist mental health unit in Stockport
Cobden Unit is a psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) run by mental health and learning disability provider Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust. It provides short-term care for men over the age of 18, experiencing mental health distress.
Robert dropped into the unit to find out more about the mental health conditions patients’ experience, the types of care provided, speak to staff and see the current facilities.
It follows his visit earlier this year to the site of Pennine Care’s brand new PICU at Tameside General Hospital, which is due to open in April 2022. All the ground work and foundations are complete and good progress is being made on the exterior building work.
Following patient and staff workshops, the interior design and finishing touches have been agreed and suppliers have been chosen for the specialist safety doors and furniture.
Once patients have transferred to the new Tameside unit, the current Stockport-based Cobden unit will be completely refurbished to create a brand new service for women. This will allow them to receive high quality care closer to their loved ones and local community, which is important for their recovery.
Clinical services manager Sarah Murphy said: “Our new unit in Tameside will be comfortable, modern and effectively support patients’ recovery. Therapy is really important, so it will boast a new gym, therapy kitchen, garden and lots of space for activities such as art and craft, tai chi, indoor sports and exercise.
“We will then be able to look at what’s needed for female patients and completely refurbish the Stockport unit, while it’s empty. Once complete, we will be able to provide fantastic highly specialist care that meets the needs of local women and is closer to their loved ones and community.
“It’s exciting to see the new unit making such rapid progress. Our patients and staff are enjoying being able to plan how we fit out and decorate the new units.”
High Peak MP Robert Largan said: “It’s really useful to come and see the psychiatric intensive care unit and learn more about how it works – it’s not a well understood part of the NHS, but a really important one, so I’m grateful to have been shown around.
“I’m looking forward to being able to see [the Tameside PICU] open soon, to see the contrast and see the improvements that investment is going to have for patient care.
“I was also really impressed with the staff and their dedication - and the challenging environment they work in, but the really important work that they do.”
Patients and staff are currently helping to develop a short list of names for the new male unit in Tameside and refurbished female unit in Stockport. It’s planned that the shortlist will be put out to public vote and details will be shared via Pennine Care’s Facebook and Twitter pages (@PennineCareNHS).
