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. 

When you call you'll speak directly to a member of staff on our wards. To find out more about the PICU team, our approach and the commitment we make to get our patients back to their home and community, watch our video below. You'll find all the contact details you need for each of our PICU wards after the video.

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

Heygate ward - Male PICU Northampton

Telephone: 01604 616 111   Email: [email protected]

Bayley ward - Female PICU Northampton

Telephone: 01604 614584    Email: [email protected]

Audley ward - Male PICU Essex 

Telephone: 01268 723 930   Email: [email protected]

Frinton ward - Female PICU Essex 

Telephone: 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]

Who we care for

Click HERE to view our PICU Covid protocols on admission.

Caring for our PICU patients during Covid

Our PICU units are open for admissions, however due to quarantining protocols bed availability is more restricted and on admission we may use enhanced support nursing in order to keep your patient and our other patients and staff safe. 

Our PICUs provide a 24/7 gender-specific admissions service for people with acute phases of mental illness. We aim to provide rapid assessment, intensive treatment and stabilisation. Our tailored treatment programs are developed with the patient to recognise an individual's strengths, needs and risks, with emphasis on treating mental illness and starting the recovery process. Male or female patients aged 18-65 years typically present with:

• acute metal illness or an exacerbation of a chronic mental illness
• challenging behaviours as a result of a mental illness
• significant risk, including aggression to self and others, absconding and / or vulnerability
• who require relatively short-term intensive care in a safe environment
• and have been detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended by the Mental Health Act 2007).

We also offer a Rapid Response service for older adults in crisis to provide urgent stabilisation and intensive therapy in a safe environment (see below for more details).