Our four male and female PICU wards are based centrally across Northampton and Essex offering 24/7 rapid assessment, intensive treatment and stabilisation for people with acute phases of mental illness, we aim to give you a decision on your referral within the hour. 

To make an enquiry or discuss a referral please contact our wards directly

Heygate ward – Male PICU N'ton Tel: 01604 616 111 Email: [email protected]

Bayley ward – Female PICU N'ton Tel: 01604 614 584 Email: [email protected]

Audley ward – Male PICU Essex Tel: 01268 723 930 Email: [email protected]

Frinton ward – Female PICU Essex Tel: 01268 723 860 Email: [email protected]

Rapid Response service - For acquired brain injury, complex dementia or Huntington's disease

Male or Female Northampton - Telephone: 0800 434 6690   Email: [email protected]

How have you found our PICU referral to admission process? CLICK HERE to let us know

 Our PICU multi-disciplinary team - meet Annymn, Lead Occupational Therapist

This week we hear from Annymn Adams, Lead Occupational Therapist in our Essex PICU services.  In her video Annymn talks about her extensive career in acute mental health services and how she gains so much satisfaction from watching patients recover and progress to the point at which 'you begin to see the real person not just an illness' 

During therapeutic sessions our OTs will work with patients to acheive some of the following goals:

• Reality orientation – encouraging patients to be aware of; themselves, their environment and their situation 
• Emotional regulation – with a focus on sensory and relaxation sessions
• Positive communication - ‘the more that patients feel that they can communicate their needs to us and we communicate with them what’s going on, the more productive our relationships can be’  Lynsey Harradence, OT Technical Instructor

Our therapeutic approaches and environments

Our extensive on-site multi-disciplinary team mean that our PICU patients have access to a wide breadth of therapeutic interventions and support including:

•  Sensory Integration trained therapists
• Dedicated Arts therapists
• Rapid internal and external leave assessments completed with our ward based Occupational Therapists following admission
• Patient led Community meetings.

 Our ward environments are also specifically designed to support patients, providing designated spaces that are key to our therapeutic approach:

• Sensory/Chill-out rooms to support patients with increased arousal levels and help them to develop self-regulatory sensory strategies
• Therapy gardens helping to promote pride and personal achievement and offering opportunities to engage in activities that encourage positive connections within a physical and social environment
• A wide variety of sports facilities and sessions combatting physical health issues, promoting positive emotional regulation and improving self esteem