Men's Mental Health - focused recovery ward

Tiptree is a 16-bedded ward for men of working age (18-65), who have had repeated or prolonged admissions into hospital. The treatment goal is for patients to move beyond the protected therapeutic environment of the Essex site through engagement with off-site activities with the final aim being discharge.

It offers an environment for patients to continue their recovery journey from a variety of settings, including step-down from secure services or a PICU ward, or as a progression from an acute mental illness ward where the focus would have been on stabilisation.

Tiptree provides a recovery focused environment supporting people in the development of a personalised care plan and enabling them to achieve their identified goals.

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Private meeting areas for patients and staff to use

Tiptree bedroom

Admissions criteria

Tiptree supports men over the age of 18 with an enduring mental health diagnosis and complex mental health needs who:

present with behaviours that challenge and who can be safely managed within a low secure environment
may be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended 2007).
require a degree of independent physical functioning
who have typically presented as treatment resistant.
We will also consider individuals detained under Part 3 of the Mental Health Act (ie. those with Forensic Sections).

Treatment and care

Tiptree ward utilises a ‘Bio-Psycho-Social’ clinical treatment model to formulate, understand, and plan to address recovery. The Therapeutic Intervention Pathway integrates modalities and disciplines, and strives to provide stratification for immediate, medium and long term treatment needs.

There are 3 treatment streams that patients will be assigned to in order to meet their treatment needs. These streams are:

An Active Rehabilitation stream where patients have increased insight into their needs and are engaged in their recovery - typically 12 weeks
Personal Life Skills stream where patients need more time and support in reaching their goal of discharge from inpatient services - typically 3 to 12 months
Quality of life stream where we typically will see treatment resistant patients who may require significant support to move their focus away from inpatient services with a high need for occupational and nursing support to structure time and build a pathway for a life outside hospital - potentially 12 months +

What makes Tiptree a specialist ward

For people who have had repeated or prolonged admissions into hospital, Tiptree provides a nurturing environment to meet their individual needs. The goal of treatment is for patients to be reintegrated from the protected therapeutic environment provided on the Essex site to off-site activities with the final aim being discharge.

Tiptree ward supports patients to acquire the skills to enable a successful community transition through the acquisition or further development of skills in activities of daily living, interpersonal skills and symptom management whilst establishing community links. The Essex site allows patients access to a gym, music room, green space and an onsite café within the perimeter of the hospital site.

Listening to our patients

People being admitted into Tiptree consistently tell us that they “want to leave hospital” but have often struggled to understand how to achieve this goal. In terms of co-producing their care plans they have asked for “leave in the community”, “activities on the ward” and “contact with family”. Patients have also asked for support to develop a relationship with their community teams so they can discuss their care pathway and develop their discharge plan.