First NHS intensive care unit for women with serious mental health needs opens in Kent and Medway

Women in Kent and Medway will have access to a dedicated NHS psychiatric intensive care unit for the first time, following a £4.63 million investment by Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust.

The 10-bed unit at Littlestone Lodge in Dartford will provide short-term, intensive care for women experiencing serious mental health difficulties who need extra support.

The unit is expected to provide around 3,000 bed days of care for women each year. It will create a more joined-up pathway, helping women move smoothly between hospital wards and community services as their needs change, with care planned around each woman’s circumstances. 

2 of the 10 beds will also be available to women referred by other NHS trusts, depending on individual needs.

The trust already provides intensive mental health care for men at Willow Suite, a 12-bed unit at Littlebrook Hospital. The new unit extends this specialist service to women.

Jim Dickson, MP for Dartford, visited and officially opened the unit on Monday 9 November.

Afifa Qazi, Chief Medical Officer at Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust, said: “This is an important step forward for mental health services in Kent and Medway. Until now, women needing intensive care and support for serious mental health difficulties have not been able to receive this specialist care from our team. This new service means we can now provide specialist, compassionate care at a particularly difficult time in their lives.”

“I’m proud of everyone who has helped make this service a reality. Our team will take the time to get to know each woman, understand what matters to her and recognise her as a person, not just her mental health needs. We want every woman to feel supported as she moves forward, while staying connected with her family, friends and the people who matter to her.”

People with personal experience of mental health services helped shape the unit, helping create a safe and welcoming place where women can focus on their recovery.

Care will reflect each woman’s needs, with families and carers involved where appropriate. The design also takes account of sensory needs, including those of women with autism and learning disabilities, to help make the environment welcoming and inclusive.

Jim Dickson, MP for Dartford said: “Women experiencing serious mental health difficulties deserve care that treats them with dignity, compassion and an understanding of their individual needs.

“I’m pleased to see this new unit open in Dartford. It is an important investment in mental health services for women and their families across Kent and Medway.”

The unit is due to welcome its first patient later this month.