High Intensity Rehab Programme March 2025 update
This is the second of our regular briefings about the High Intensity Rehabilitation Programme at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT).
Our vision is to provide high quality rehabilitation services to improve the mental health, psychological wellbeing, social inclusion and quality of life for people with complex mental health needs.
We are working to adapt our services to new NHS guidelines. This includes moving our Complex Rehabilitation Inpatient Service, currently located in Ward 5 at the Newsam Centre in Seacroft, to a redesigned and refurbished facility at Parkside Lodge in Armley. The picture below is an artist’s impression of the new site from above.
This will provide inpatient rehabilitation services for men with complex psychosis and serious mental illnesses who have the right to live satisfying and valued lives and be treated with dignity and respect. They will be supported by our expert and compassionate staff team who will be delivering therapeutic approaches that meet the diverse needs of these people.
Parkside Lodge will become home to a modern 18-bed single sex Level 2 Mental Health Rehabilitation Inpatient facility, including two self-contained flatlets. It will support men with the routine activities of daily living and provide safe, reliable, and effective rehabilitation and recovery services. Ultimately, we want to promote independence and help these men realise their full potential.
This facility will also help us reduce the need to send these men out of the local area for inpatient treatment which is does not best support their rehabilitation.
Please note, this project update is not about changes to the Community Rehabilitation Enhanced Support Team (CREST) hosted by LYPFT. You can read more about this on the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board’s website.
Building work progress
The enabling and preparatory works at Parkside Lodge were completed in February. The site is currently secured and surrounded by wooden fencing, so we don’t have anything new and exciting to show you this month.
Clinical service developments
The High Intensity Rehab team is working hard to adapt to the new NHS guidelines for their service, as well as anticipating what will need to change when they move across to Parkside Lodge later this year.
They are currently reviewing a whole suite of Standard Operating Procedures or SOPs. There are currently around 30 of them, with more to come. SOPs are essentially the “how to” manuals for the clinical service and cover a range of areas including:
- Access to the building and internal rooms e.g. keys and fobs
- Emergency response and safety alarms
- Pharmacy and medication
- Training
- Logistics – stuff like waste management, parking, delivery of mail etc.
Our Co-Production Lead Ash Robinson recently launched an open survey where staff can provide feedback on how they are feeling about the process so far, anonymously if they want to. So far, we’ve received feedback on things like improving communication and follow up, improving the consistent implementation of policies, and reducing the frequency of meetings.
However, we’ve also heard that the team is compassionate who “care about the well-being of our patients”, there are “lots of learning opportunities and development needs”, it’s a “welcoming team” and it’s a “pretty cool place to work!”
The Ward 5 management team is now reviewing this feedback.
Artwork incorporates landmarks, but which ones?
The Trust has commissioned local artist Claudia Bowler to co-produce a large artwork installation for Parkside Lodge with staff and service users.
The final product will take the form of a 3 x 3 metre vinyl to be installed on a wall near the entrance.
Following a few creative sessions, the final concept features a lush landscape with local landmarks. Do you recognise them?
Claudia is a Bradford-based designer and illustrator who’s worked with some prestigious brands such as Taylor’s of Harrogate and GHD, as well as local health and community-based projects.
Visit her website to see for yourself.
Page last updated: 14th Mar 2025 12:06pm