Address
Ridgeway
Roseberry Park
Middlesbrough
Teesside
TS4 3AF
Telephone
Philosophy of care
Lark Ward focuses on Recovery and the Chime principles of Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning and Empowerment.
We offer a homely environment and offer a range of therapeutic, occupational, and recreational activities, to enhance an individual’s quality of life, promote social inclusion and develop autonomy.
Utilising a holistic and balanced approach we aim to assess, support and reduce any risk to support service users to lead a fulfilling and independent life.
Daily routine
Lark ward offers a range of educational, vocational and social activities. These include:
- Breakfast club
- Recreational days out
- Move and groove
- Computer access
- Walking groups
- Personal leave days
- Pool tournaments
- Healthy eating groups
- Theme nights
- Scrabble/board games
- Olympics
- Jigsaws
- Fishing
- Current affairs
If you have alternative interests and/or hobbies please discuss these with staff and we can consider if these can be offered on the ward.
Meals and drinks
We provide three meals per day, always with a variety of choice. The weekly menus are on display in the dining room and alternate each week. You are also able to have your own snacks.
If you have any special dietary requirements (such as diabetic, vegetarian or cultural) we will inform the catering service.
The ward operates protected meal times, to make sure you have your meal with limited disruption, because of this we ask that professionals and carers avoid contacting the ward at mealtimes where possible.
Activity centre
The occupational therapy service is based in the activity centre. The service is made up of a team of occupational therapists, technical instructors and a learning tutor.
The team provide high quality, person centred care and treatment, while promoting safety, health and wellbeing.
Monday to Friday groups are structured from 9.15am – 3.30pm and include:
- workshop activities
- tiling courses
- pottery
- textiles
- animal therapy
- gym and aerobics
- digital media
- Skills for Life
- social skills
- social inclusion
- community rehabilitation.
Some outdoor activities prove popular with our service users such as walking, cycling and Wildlife Trust.
Weekend activity is much more leisure based and may involve, outdoor football, coffee mornings, baking, themed cooking and film groups.
Your named nurse and the ward occupational therapist will discuss activities available or that may be suitable for you.
Multi-disciplinary team (MDT)
On admission you will be appointed a named nurse and keyworkers who are responsible for your care. Each shift you will be allocated a member of staff as your point of contact for that shift, who will help to meet your needs.
During your stay on the ward you will be cared for by a team of professionals, this team will be made up of people who are the best placed to help you with your care needs. This team is collectively called a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and may include your responsible clinician, nursing team, psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, dietitians, speech and language therapists and pharmacists. The MDT will have regular meetings with you to discuss decisions about your treatment and goals for your care, you can also discuss any concerns that you may have.
Psychology
The ward has access to an allocated psychologist who will assess what treatment you may need whilst you are staying with us. The forensic services offer a number of psychological treatments and these may be delivered as group sessions and/or 1:1 sessions as appropriate.
Recovery care planning
All wards within Ridgeway adopt a recovery focused approach to care planning. This ensures that the service user is placed at the heart of everything, and that they are fully involved in planning their care and treatment. Service users and staff work collaboratively to plan the steps that need to be taken to help then on their recovery journey and progress towards discharge. This is then discussed in the person’s recovery meeting so that service users and the teams they work with are all working towards the same shared goals.
Service user involvement
Every month a service user experience meeting is held in The Hub. A service user representative from each ward meets with healthcare professionals to discuss the service they receive at Ridgeway or their experience from other hospitals. The aim of the meeting is to improve the care and service provided within secure inpatient services.
Carer/family involvement
We like to involve and support carers and families (where possible) in relation to your loved ones care. If you would like to hear from us, we would be grateful if you could check we have your contact details. Once we have this information, we will do our best to involve you in as much as we can.
Health centre
Ridgeway has a fully equipped health centre where you can have access to a GP, dentist, physiotherapist and nurse practitioners. This allows quick access to address any medical problems or treatments you may need.
The Hub
The Hub is a café within Ridgeway which service users are able to attend daily throughout the week.
The Hub offers a large selection of sundries available for purchase, as well as toiletries. It also gives service users the opportunity to meet up with others within the service and socialise.
The Hub hosts social events such as quiz evenings and pool competitions. It has a 60inch TV, pool table, jukebox, arcade gaming machine and coffee machines.
Within The Hub service users can also access the multi faith room and a library which, along with books, also loans games, audio and e-books.
Trust chaplaincy service
Within the hospital there is a team of chaplains / faith leaders who aim to provide for the religious, spiritual and pastoral needs of service Users, carers and staff.
There is a multi-faith room within both The Hub and Dalesway at Roseberry Park. Here you can find a variety of facilities, including prayer mats.
Facilities at Dalesway
Dalesway is the name of the area outside of Ridgeway but still within Roseberry Park grounds. You may be granted leave to go here by your consultant. This area has a café a service user bank and a small shop.
Ward visiting
You can book a visit anytime by calling the ward office. Please speak with the ward staff or contact the ward office who will advise you of the visiting times on the ward.
Visiting times can be flexible if visitors have a long way to travel or have difficulty attending during normal visiting times. You can ask the ward manager, or nominated deputy, to book visits outside of normal visiting times.
If you have leave granted by the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) you may also be able to arrange visits within the grounds of Roseberry Park if this has been booked in advance.
Any items brought to you by family or friends during a visit will need to be checked by a member of staff. Any prohibited items will be removed. If you are brought food or drink items, they will only be accepted if they are fully sealed. More information about which items are prohibited can be obtained from Ridgeway reception, please contact them on 01642 837400.
Alcohol and illicit substances must not be brought into Ridgeway. The trust operates a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to the use, possession or dealing of illicit substances on trust premises. Any person thought to be attempting to supply illicit substances will be reported to the police.
Child visiting
If you have children that you would like to visit (this is anybody under the age of 18) you must discuss this with your care team at the earliest opportunity. To ensure visits are in the best interests of the child there is a child visiting policy that must be followed; this includes requesting permission from the person who has parental responsibility for the child, consideration of the child’s wishes and also in most cases liaison with local social services.
No visitors under the age of 18 will be allowed access to the ward. If granted, visits will take place in the child visiting room near Ridgeway reception and will be supervised by at least two staff. Child visits must be booked plenty of time in advance to make sure the visiting room is available. All children visiting must be a relation to you.
Smoking
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust have a no smoking policy. Smoking cessation advisors work within the service and will be able to provide support and guidance relation to Nicotine Replacement Therapy if you need to access this during your stay. E cigarettes and vapes are not permitted inside Ridgeway. Further information about our policy is available on request.
Contact information
Ward office: 01642 424470
If you have concerns outside of normal visiting times, you will be able to contact the ward by telephone and discuss your worries with a member of staff.
CCTV
To ensure the safety of our service users, carers, visitors and staff, a number of our premises are monitored by CCTV. These arrangements are covered by the Trust’s CCTV policy and signs are displayed outside all areas that are monitored by CCTV. If you wish to discuss obtaining access to any recordings, please contact the head of security for Ridgeway on 01642 837482.
Advocacy services
Roseberry Park has close links with advocacy services and all service users are encouraged to access these services. Please ask a member of staff for further information.
Legal representation for mental health tribunals/solicitors
If you require legal representation from Middlesbrough or another area please ask a member of staff for assistance. Please let staff know if you already have an appointed legal representative.
Alternatively please contact:
The Mental Health Act Office
Ground floor, Cleveland Way
Roseberry Park
Middlesbrough, TS4 3AF
Telephone: 01642 838387 or 01642 837389
L1049, V1, 23/07/2019 (Archive: 23/07/2022)
