Building for better care - Our new mental health inpatient services
Delivering high quality mental health care and treatment is fundamental to what we do as a Trust; we committed to develop three new mental health inpatient services in Guildford, Chertsey, and east Surrey because we want to provide the best in mental health care. Farnham Road Hospital, Guildford, opened in December 2015, and following its completion, our focus moved to Silverwood, our new mental health inpatient service being constructed on the former Abraham Cowley Unit (ACU) site on St. Peter’s Hospital campus. Here we share the latest progress updates.
Silverwood’s construction progress achieves key milestone
Despite facing numerous storms and experiencing above-average rainfall so far this year, Silverwood reached a significant milestone in April: it is now 'watertight,' a term commonly used in the construction industry to denote that the structure is weather-resistant.
Graham Wareham, our Chief Executive Officer, was joined by local dignitaries including Dr Ben Spencer, MP for Runnymede and Weybridge, and Councillor Shannon Saise-Marshall, the Mayor of Runnymede to mark the occasion. At the event, Graham expressed how impressed he was with the construction progress and emphasised how we are now another milestone closer to opening Silverwood’s doors.
Additionally, our two benchmark bedrooms are now complete. These fully furnished rooms serve as an essential testing ground, ensuring that they meet our stringent design and specification standards before the remaining rooms are finished.
The adverse weather conditions have caused a slight delay in Silverwood's construction progress. We're currently assessing the impact and will be adjusting the completion and opening dates accordingly. Meanwhile, we continue to prepare to launch the new service smoothly and safely with a sustained focus on our recruitment efforts.
We anticipate presenting an updated timeline to the Trust's Public Board in July. Regular checkpoints will be maintained to monitor construction progress until the building is complete and ready to open. Progress will continue at pace over the coming months, and we remain committed to delivering Silverwood to the highest standards.
You can see the construction progress in our latest timelapse footage.
Engagement with people who use our services
We held our latest Lived Experience Group event in March where we shared the programme news and discussed the distinct roles people staying on our wards, along with their families and carers, will encounter and the part they play in someone’s recovery journey. We provided an update on our community transformation programme and how we’re working hard to keep people well at home. Finally, we talked through the latest plans for the Trust’s Health Based Places of Safety. These are spaces where people who are detained under Section 135 or Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 can be supported safely while an appropriate assessment is undertaken. As usual, there were lots of opportunities for discussion and questions.
Our next Lived Experience Group will be held on Tuesday 9 July, 10am -12pm. You are welcome to attend if you’ve used our services in the past, are a family member or carer of someone who has, have an interest in mental health or work for our Trust. Please come along to share your ideas and challenge our thinking.
Information about future meetings are available on the Trust’s Engagement and consultation page.
Transformative interior art designs unveiled for Silverwood
Renowned artist Kate Bond recently unveiled her stunning interior art designs for Silverwood, following immersive workshops which helped to shape Silverwood’s artistic identity. With a specialty in healthcare interior design, Kate embarked on a mission to seamlessly integrate art into the space, aiming to evoke a serene ambiance while fostering a profound connection to nature.
Taking Silverwood’s interior design strategy as the starting point, Kate was able to draw upon her expertise and through collaborative workshops with colleagues and individuals with lived experience, harness their collective creativity. The result? Designs that seamlessly blend nature-inspired elements, reflecting a deep understanding of how natural surroundings can enhance tranquillity and well-being.
Kate's designs thoughtfully intertwine with the names of Silverwood's wards, each named after stars or constellations - Lyra, Vega, Polaris, and Orion - creating a harmonious narrative throughout the space. Additionally, elements from the local environment, such as those found in nearby Royal Horticultural Garden Wisley and Chertsey Meads, are seamlessly woven into the fabric of her designs, further enhancing their authenticity and connection to the community.
The initial draft of Kate's designs has garnered enthusiastic praise from the Art Steering Committee, comprised of art therapists and people with lived experience, who believe the designs will resonate with the needs of the Silverwood community. With this overwhelmingly positive feedback, Kate is now poised to refine her designs further before their installation at Silverwood later in the year.
Staffing and recruitment well underway to deliver the new service
Silverwood will benefit from the collective expertise provided by existing Surrey and Borders staff, many of whom were redeployed from the ACU closure, alongside a new wave of highly skilled recruits. For those stepping into roles at Silverwood, it’s a fantastic opportunity to be involved at the start of this exciting new inpatient service and be part of a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team, with robust support in place for career progression.
While we've made significant strides in meeting our recruitment targets, there are still openings waiting to be filled. Currently, we're particularly seeking passionate individuals for positions like Ward Managers, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Clinical Leads, Support Workers, Nurse Associates, Psychologist, Dieticians and Occupational Therapists.
We were at the Health & Social Care Job Show at Westfield, London on 9 and 10 May. We will also be holding our second Open Day at 18 Mole Business Park, our Trust HQ in Leatherhead, on 6 July which will focus on Band 5 roles and above, as well as all of our Therapies roles.
More information about the roles available is available on our Silverwood recruitment listing webpage.
Contact us:
If you have any questions, you would like more information or to sign up for an event, please get in touch. You can contact the team at: newhospitals@sabp.nhs.uk