Psychiatric intensive care unit

What the team provide

We deliver psychiatric intensive care in Lincolnshire for men over the age of 18. We are a small specialist unit for people with complex needs. The unit is for people who require short term intensive support to overcome a crisis period in their mental wellbeing. This is similar to the level of support patients with a physical health need would receive in a hospital’s intensive care unit.

The level of support people need usually requires a closer focus from staff. Staff are able to monitor and support individuals to a much greater extent than the Trust’s acute mental health wards.

Our philosophy

Service users can expect:

• To be cared for in a safe environment.
• To have a care plan based on your individual needs.
• To have the right to privacy.
• To be listened to, and any concerns addressed promptly.
• We will treat each other with dignity and respect.

Together we will:

• Develop a plan of care which enables your recovery.
• Create a plan of care which encourages your independence, personal choice, and develops your self-esteem.
• Agree on how you wish your relatives and carers to be involved in your care.

Working together

Expectations of patients:

• Patients will be encouraged to be involved in the planning of their own care.
• Patients will be encouraged to participate in therapeutic activities that are considered part of their recovery plan.
• Patients have the right to be respected by each other.

Expectations of staff:

• Each patient is offered one to one time with a named worker every day. This maybe your named nurse or an allocated other member of staff.
• Each patient will see their named nurse (or a nominated other) on no less than three occasions per week.
• Each patient will be encouraged to be involved in planning their own care

Staff who may be involved in your care

Staff will introduce themselves to you on the ward. There is a display board with staff photos on it so that you can recognise members of our team more easily. All staff also wear a name badge.

The list below aims to give a brief explanation of staff roles:

Ward manager 

The most senior nurse on the ward and they are responsible and accountable for the care provided by all the staff that you meet. You can discuss any issues you may have about your care with the ward manager.

Consultant psychiatrist 

The responsible medical officer in charge of your care.

Named nurse 

Your named nurse is the staff member who is identified as your key worker. They will spend allocated one to one time with you making sure your stay in hospital is therapeutic.

Associate nurse

May also be a nursing assistant and will provide you with extra support.

Care coordinator

An identified worker who works in the community who coordinates your care when you leave hospital.

Nursing assistants 

Nursing assistants support registered nurses with the essentials of your care. This may include therapeutic activity and other practical support to help aid your recovery.

Occupational therapist (OT)

The OT looks at how you cope with your everyday needs and will help you to manage them better. They will work with you in hospital and in your home.

Physiotherapist

Promotes physical methods to promote healing through a range of physical activities and exercise. (Referral only)

Social worker 

Works as part of the multi-disciplinary team who looks at your social needs. (Referral only)

Junior doctors

Junior doctors join the unit on a rotational basis to support your medical care.

Activity coordinator

Provides a range of social and therapeutic activities on the ward.

Ward secretary 

Available to assist you with any benefit information that you may require.

Housekeepers

Will ensure that the unit is cleaned on a regular basis and meets necessary standards for a hospital ward.

Approved mental health professional (AMHP)

Responsible for organising and coordinating, as well as contributing to Mental Health Act assessments.

Student nurses 

Students regularly spend time on the ward and are supervised by fully qualified team members. You may be asked if you are happy for a student to provide your treatment. You have the right to say no and we fully respect this. Your decision will not affect the quality or level of care you receive

What should I bring with me?

You will need to bring the following practical items with you:

• Toiletries
• Clothing (day and night)
• Coat
• Footwear
• Reading glasses
• Telephone numbers of family and friends you may want to contact

The ward does hold a stock of basic items which can be supplied until arrangements can be made for your own items to be brought in. Please let a member of staff know if you need anything.

What should I not bring?

You are asked not to bring any of the following items:

• Large amounts of money
• Valuable items
• Sharp objects
• Television
• Camera / recording equipment
• Stereo equipment that will disturb other patients
• Medication (you are required to hand any medication over to the admitting nurse)
• Alcohol or illicit substances

Visiting times

Visiting is currently in place again, however, could be suspended if there was a COVID outbreak. The ward will be able to provide up to date information at any given time.

Your friends, relatives and carers are welcome to visit you at the following times:

• Monday to Friday, 6pm to 8pm
• Weekends and Bank Holidays, 2pm to 4pm and 6pm to 8pm

This needs to be pre-booked with a member of the nursing team in advance.

Please call the ward to arrange.

The team are happy to see relatives should they have any questions about your care.

Please make an appointment with a member of staff.

Rowan Family Room

The Rowan Family Room is available for visits and is situated off the ward, this also allows children to be able to visit. There will be a booking system in place for visits Please contact the ward to discuss this beforehand. Anyone wishing to visit outside these times can arrange to do so.

Protected therapeutic time

2pm to 3pm weekdays

(During this hour the ward staff are not available for meetings or outside visitors as the focus is to spend direct time with patients)

Meal times

Your nutritional needs will be assessed on admission. We will take into account your dietary and cultural requirements to provide a balanced diet.

We will offer you:

• A choice of dishes to suit your individual dietary needs.
• A choice of portion sizes.
• We will regularly ask you for your opinions about our menus.

Breakfast 8am to 9am

A selection of cereals, toast and hot or cold drinks.

Lunch 12 noon

A choice of hot meals are served. Menus are available on the ward for you to review.

Dinner 5pm

A range of cold sandwiches and salads or a light hot meal (e.g jacket potato). Hot and cold drinks and snacks are available throughout the day from the dining room.

If you have any special dietary requirements please let the staff know

Our expectations and respect for each other

We operate a zero tolerance to:

• violence
• threatening behaviours
• damage to property
• theft.

The hospital and ward team do not tolerate:

• threatening behaviour to other patients or staff.
• verbal or physical abuse to other patients or staff
• damage to property or theft
• use of substances detrimental to your mental wellbeing i.e. legal highs, alcohol or illicit substances.

We will take appropriate action against any individual who fails to respect these expectations.

Ward requirements

Consent policy:

We operate an informal consent policy. You will be asked to sign a confidentiality statement as to whom you wish any information to be given.

Smoke-free site:

To create a healthier environment for everyone, staff, patients and all visitors are not allowed to smoke anywhere on LPFT sites. There is lots of support available for people who smoke to help them through the change. This can be whether they wish to stop smoking permanently or for the duration of their appointment or stay with us. E cigarettes are permitted in designated areas.

Activities on the ward

Activity coordinator

There is an activity coordinator on the ward whose role is to discuss your interests with you and look at ways you may want to spend your time whilst you are in hospital. The activity co-ordinator will organise groups and activities on the ward.

Morning meetings

A brief meeting is held every morning in the lounge to discuss what activities and groups are available for the day.

Groups on the ward

A number of different groups are offered on the ward. Please see the activity board for details.

Community meeting

The community meeting is a weekly get together for patients and staff to discuss issues effecting the ward and gain feedback and suggestions.

You said, we did

Your suggestions are valued and acted upon. Please see the You said, we did board for examples of the changes made following patient suggestions.

Resources available

There are lots of resources available to you on the ward such as

• Art materials
• Stereo
• Console and games
• Musical instruments
• TV / DVD player
• Magazines / Newspapers
• Books

Facilities available

Patient gym

There is a gym on the ward which has a good range of fitness equipment such as:

• treadmills
• cross trainer
• punch bag and various other equipment.

Prior to using the gym a qualified staff member will speak with you to assess your needs.

Multi-faith room

A quiet room is available for time for reflection and prayer. There is access to specific faith books. Please ask a member of staff if you require a faith book whilst on the ward.

Discovery House Café

There is a café which provide hot meals, drinks and confectionery items. There are also various shops locally. A pre-arranged shop run will be undertaken for those unable to leave the ward.

Medication

How is medication dispensed?

Medication is dispensed at regular times from the clinic (8am, 1pm, 5pm, 10pm). A registered nurse will dispense this to you when it is due and they will let you know when to attend for this. The type of medication you are prescribed will be discussed as part of your review.

Can I get advice on medication?

Written information is available on the ward about the different medication types. You may also discuss medication with your nurse or doctor. You may also request to see a pharmacist.

Physical healthcare

You will be actively supported to adopt a healthier lifestyle and help will be offered to stop smoking, if required. You will have access to a comprehensive range of healthcare services and will be offered regular physical healthcare checks during your stay starting with an initial assessment at the point of admission.

You will be offered follow up investigations and treatment for physical conditions identified in your assessment during admission. You will have regular monitoring of the effects of medication including those used for physical healthcare issues and you will have a regular review of any medication prescribed

Ward reviews

What to expect

On arrival to the ward you will be allocated your ward review day and time. You will also be informed who your doctor will be.

What is a ward review?

Your ward review is an opportunity to discuss your current care plan and make arrangements for your future care. This is also called a Care Programme Approach Review (CPA Review).

Who will be at the ward review?

There will be people in the room involved in your care. They will include a nurse, doctor, and may also be an occupational therapist, social worker, psychologist etc. They will be introduced to you, or will introduce themselves.

What if I feel too uncomfortable?

If you feel uncomfortable with many professionals in the room, please feel free to say so and appropriate alternative arrangements will be made for you to see your consultant. Your consultant will then discuss your care and treatment. If you are unable to express your wishes, your carer or nurse may speak for you.

Can I invite anyone to the review?

Yes, if you wish to have a family member, friend or advocate to support you in the review then please advise staff.

Preparing for your review

It may be helpful to write down any questions you think may be relevant before the review. Any member of staff will assist you with this. If you would like some paper and a pen to do this please ask a member of staff.

If there is anything you do not understand during the review, please ask your doctor or the nurse present in the ward round to explain either in the review or afterwards.

Moving on from hospital

Being involved from the start

You will be involved in making plans regarding your discharge from hospital. This will ensure that you feel this occurs at the right time, and you are offered the right support in the community. A discharge liaison nurse will support you with making plans for your discharge.

Before you are discharged you will be given a discharge plan. This will provide you with relevant information about your after-care and who to contact if you require support.

Your personal safety

Alarms sounding on the ward

You may hear a variety of alarms on the ward. Staff will inform you if you need to take any action and direct you of what to do.

No smoking policy

A no smoking policy operates throughout the building and hospital grounds.

Restrictive interventions

If you observe staff using restrictive interventions with another patient please do not try and get involved. Staff are trained in how to do this safely to prevent further harm to anyone. Please remove yourselves for your own safety.

Nurse call alarm system

The nurse call alarm is a button located in your bed area, in the bathroom and toilet. If you are not certain please ask a member of staff. The nurse alarm call should only be used in an emergency when requiring immediate assistance.

Observations

On the ward there may be times when you may be considered vulnerable and at risk. We will make every effort to keep you safe until you are able to keep yourself safe. This is done through a system of observation.

All service users are observed as part of the delivery of care. Some people may require extra support which will mean increasing the observation level and staff may have to check on you more often, or even be with you at all times. As your mental health improves, the amount of observation reduces.

General observation

This is the minimum level of observation which most patients can expect during their stay in hospital. The nursing staff are required to know where you are all of the time. We ask that if you are allocated leave from the ward you let us know as you leave and return.

Intermittent observation

This is an increased level of observation. It is used to ensure that nursing staff are regularly available for you to improve your wellbeing and help you to feel safe on the ward. Staff will approach you every 15 minutes to see how they can best support you. You will also be given the opportunity to discuss what you feel is helpful as part of your care plan. You may be able to leave the ward but this needs to be agreed with the staff involved in your care.

Within eyesight observation

This is a higher level of observation to enable your care team to support you at all times. The nursing staff will not always be close to you, but they will be within eyesight. The care team will always discuss with you your individual needs around your privacy and dignity. You may be allocated escorted leave from the ward and your key nurse will be able to discuss this with you.

Within arm’s length observation

This is the highest level of observation we use. This enables a member of the nursing staff to be close to you at all times to help you with your current needs. The care team will always discuss with you your individual needs especially related to privacy and dignity. Any leave off the ward is usually only allocated in exceptional circumstances whilst you are being nursed on this level of observation. Your care team will explain why this is necessary.

Debriefing sessions

If there has been in incident on the ward that has affected you in some way, the nurse in charge will ensure that you are offered a debriefing session. This will provide you with the opportunity to discuss what has happened, to consider the likely reactions to such an event and to provide immediate support and guidance.

Incidents include:

• witnessing an incident that has upset you
• being physically or verbally abused by another person on the ward
• being physically held by staff for your own protection or protection of others
• medication being administered by injection in an emergency for your safety or the safety of others.

Safety of your property

You are advised to hand over valuables to staff for safe keeping and where possible you will be discouraged from bringing and retaining expensive valuables. We accept that this is not always possible in which case a safe is available in the unit which is kept locked and housed in a locked room. This safe is generally for emergencies and overnight use only.

There are individual lockers in each bedroom for storage of restricted items (deodorant, razors and mouthwash). Staff will be present when these lockers are accessed.

We cannot be held responsible for your money or valuables if you do not hand over valuables for safekeeping.

Mobile phone use

Patients are able to have their mobile phones on the ward subject to agreeing and signing the use of mobile phone contract. 

Language and communication

We can offer information and an interpretation service for people whose first language is not English. If you are partially sighted, hard of hearing or have problems with reading, we can give you information in a format you find acceptable. Please ask the team for any help you need.

How to access your healthcare records

You are legally entitled to access your notes under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UKGDPR.

If you would like access or copies of your records you can contact the Access to Records Team.

Telephone 01529 222327

Email: lpft.lpftrecords@nhs.net

This request is something you may wish to discuss with the health professional in charge of your care.

Advocacy

An advocate can provide you with support and information and help you get your views and choices heard. Please ask a member of staff for information on when they will be next visiting the ward. Leaflets about advocacy are also available. 

You can also contact the advocacy organisation VoiceAbility:

 VoiceAbility,                                                                                                           Unit 5,                                                                                                                     Saxilby Enterprise Park                                                                           Skellingthorpe Road                                                                                       Saxilby,                                                                                                               Lincoln                                                                                                               LN1 2LR

Telephone 01522 706580 or Telephone 01522 706597

Calls may be made from the office telephone

Mental Health Act

Find out more information about your rights as a detained patient under the Mental Health Act by reading the leaflets available on the ward. Ask a member of staff for details if you cannot locate these.

Confidentiality

The ward staff have a legal obligation to maintain patient’s right to confidentiality. If you do not offer consent for information to be given, this can sometimes lead to difficulties with involving carers and families in the care planning of the patient. However, ward staff also have a legal obligation to maintain your right to confidentiality too.

If you have any questions regarding your rights please speak to the doctor or a nurse for further information. If you do not give consent for information to be shared about your specific needs, ward staff can still listen to your concerns and offer information regarding general policy and procedure.

Comments, compliments and complaints

We actively seek feedback about our services and recognise the right of people to comment on, or complain about any aspect of the service they receive. Please let us know if we have done something particularly well and we will keep doing it. For more details on how to do this please see our ‘Experiences counts’ leaflet which is available on our website or by asking a member of staff.

If you have a complaint

Should you have any concerns that you wish to raise in the first instance please speak to a member of the nursing team or raise your concerns in the CPA Review. We hope that the ward team will be able to help you resolve your concerns. However, if you feel that your concerns are not dealt with satisfactorily then please put them in writing to:

The Ward Manager
The Hartsholme Centre
St George’s
Long Leys Road
Lincoln
LN1 1FS

You can also contact our Patient Experience Team, where our Patient Advice and Liaison Officer may be able to resolve your concern without the need to make a more formal complaint:

Freepost RSAZ-SJHU-CKY
Service Liaison Team
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Unit 8 The Point
Lions Way
Sleaford NG34 8GG

Telephone 01529 222 265
Email lpft.PALS@nhs.net