| |  | | | | Facilities | | | | | | | | | Environment
Clare House has 51 beds designated as follows:
 15 – Admission high dependency (Handel Ward)
36 - Residential medium dependency (Hockney and Milne Wards)
Handel ward has two house groups, one of eight and one of seven beds. Bedroom accommodation within the seven bed house group is pleasant but to a relatively basic specification. The eight bed house group offers a step up to bedrooms with en-suite facilities.
The residential beds are provided by way of two 18 bed wards each with three 6 bed house groups. Each house group is effectively self contained with its own kitchenette, lounge/diner and laundry room. Two of these house groups are exclusively for female patients. All bedrooms are to a high standard with en-suite facilities.
A separate 3-bed intensive care area is located within Handel Ward. This area can be utilised if an individual patient becomes unstable due to relapsing illness or behavioural problems requiring a more intensive level of care. This affords the ability to manage such behaviour without the need to transfer to other services and is provided via higher levels of observation and increased staffing support.
Facilities
 Clare House was designed to meet the needs of persons requiring treatment in conditions of low-medium security. It design is based on a mini-community concept whereby patients live in self-contained house groups but with the over-arching security of a 24 hour staffed ward. Patients access separate recreational, treatment and therapeutic areas within the campus according to their individualised programmes.
Recreational facilities include a cafe/shop, a sports hall, fully equipped multi-gym and spa pool. A full time sports and fitness instructor provides dedicated fitness programmes for each patient.
Therapeutic space incorporates adult education, IT skills, arts and crafts, horticulture, art, music and drama therapy.
The treatment area provides a suite of clinical rooms for use by visiting clinicians such as GP, chiropodist, dentist, optician etc. There are also a number of general-purpose group rooms for psychological approaches.
A multi-faith Chapel is available for patients’ use. A visiting chaplain also runs a weekly ecumenical service.
Security is discreet but effective. The design draws upon a system of walled gardens and a main courtyard which together with the three main buildings form the secure boundary. Additional protection is afforded by CCTV coverage of the external grounds and car parks.
All specialist dietary needs are catered for. Catering is cook/chill with a choice of up to three hot meals at each mealtime. Staff can also make up salads and sandwiches to order if preferred. A takeaway meal is available one Saturday per month – patients may choose from Chinese, Indian, Pizza, MacDonalds or KFC.
Essential clothing needs of patients can be met through in-house grants of up to £150 per patient per annum. These are applied for via the patient’s key worker who also takes responsibility for ensuring that the grant is spent appropriately.
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