FAQs

It offers mental health care and treatment for young people that are experiencing significant mental health issues that require an admission to hospital.  

Nationally, these units are often referred to by professionals as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Tier 4 units. Children and young people’s mental health services have historically been split into tiers. Tier 4 services treat young people with more complex needs usually requiring inpatient care. However, the language we use to describe mental health services for young people is evolving and moving away from the use of tiers and instead focusing on need. 

Young people who are admitted to the unit typically have a wide range of disorders and complex needs. These include mental health conditions such as mood disorders, acute psychosis and disordered eating.  

The location was chosen because there was an existing redundant unit which could be replaced with a brand new purpose-built unit. The semi-rural location also provides access to nature.

The unit is delivered through an innovative partnership arrangement between Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Elysium Healthcare. Surrey and Borders are specialists in providing mental health and emotional wellbeing community-based services for young people in Surrey, and Elysium HealthCare bring expert knowledge and experience of operating inpatient services nationally.  

Jointly there is a commitment to improving access and the quality of services for Surrey’s young people.  

To ensure we designed and delivered a unit which meets the needs of young people, we co-designed key aspects of it. This included designing the look and feel of the unit, naming the unit and the creation of bespoke pieces of art by young people.

The unit is for young people who live in Surrey. However, when bed capacity allows, we will be able to admit young people from further afield in southeast England. 

The decision to admit is normally made jointly between the young person, their family and carers, and a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist. It might be because of a mental health crisis that has bought the young person into contact with other health services such as a crisis team  or they might have a known mental health need and are already being supported by community mental health services. Often the issue of personal safety is a deciding factor in whether the person can be safely supported at home or requires an inpatient stay.  

Many young people are referred as an emergency and therefore admissions are made 7 days a week. Young people can be admitted to us on a formal (sectioned) or informal (voluntary) basis. 

The national criterion for referrals is for them to come from a children and young people’s community team, sometimes referred to as CAMHS. Referrals should be supported by a Child and Adolescent Consultant Psychiatrist. This approach ensures that the full range of support in the community has been fully explored and that there is agreement that an inpatient stay is the only way to meet the young person’s needs.  

There is a nationally standardised form that referrers complete, which then goes to a dedicated referrals hub as part of the Surrey Heartlands CAMHS Tier 4 Provider Collaborative. Expert case managers oversee finding a suitable inpatient placement for young people and liaise with the community based mental health professionals who made the referral. 

• Primary diagnosis of mental illness including young people with neurodevelopmental disorders including mild learning disability and autism, drug and alcohol problems, physical disabilities, or those with social care problems as secondary needs 

• Severe and complex needs that cannot be safely managed within Tier 3 CAMHS 

• Aged 13 years until 18th birthday (there may be rare cases of 12 year olds being more appropriately admitted than to a Tier 4 CAMHS Children’s Unit) 

• May require detention under the Mental Health Act although not a prerequisite 

• May have symptoms of disordered eating 

Each young person will have a personalised plan of care, but typically a day will include time spent in the dedicated Ofsted registered school, Monday to Friday and taking part in individual and/or group psychologically based interventions. They will have regular meetings with their named nurse and meet with the psychiatrist once a week. Mealtimes are structured and there is also a range of recreational activities to take part in during the evenings and weekends. There will be easy access to outside space for relaxing and socialising.  The young person is likely to receive visits from friends and family and community-based professionals involved in their care and support.

School is an important part of the treatment programme, and all young people will be expected to attend classes according to their individual needs. There will be an onsite, Ofsted registered, school where educational specialists will support the young people with their individual learning needs and maintain a structured routine. Teaching staff will liaise with the young person's current school to make sure they can keep up their studies and develop an educational support plan. 

Yes, all bedrooms are single bedrooms with ensuite facilities. Young people are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms during their stay to help make their surroundings feel more familiar.

Our absolute priority is to make sure we operate safe and effective services.  

Some young people will be detained under the Mental Health Act (1983) within the unit for assessment and/or treatment of their mental health. If a young person has been detained, they will have to stay in hospital until the doctors, or a mental health tribunal, decide otherwise. Families and carers still have the right to visit.  

It is standard practice for the front door of inpatient units to be locked for the safety and welfare of the people being cared for.  

Leave from the unit, either accompanied or unaccompanied, is assessed and decided on an individual basis and their legal status.