At Apple Hill Hospital, we are committed to providing the highest quality care to those experiencing acute mental health crises. Our Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is designed to offer intensive and specialist support to patients when they are at their most vulnerable. Our PICU service provides a secure, therapeutic, and compassionate environment, ensuring that each patient’s complex and individual needs are met effectively and promptly.
Understanding Psychiatric Intensive Care Units
A Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a specialist hospital ward that provides acute psychiatric care for individuals experiencing severe mental health episodes that cannot be managed in an open mental health setting.
At Apple Hill Hospital, we take pride in our well-equipped and expertly staffed PICU, dedicated to stabilising patients with significant risks to their own or others’ wellbeing. This service is offered within a secure, closely supervised environment that allows for rapid intervention, support, and stabilisation.
What We Offer: Specialised Care in a Safe Environment
Our PICU provides round-the-clock, comprehensive care aimed at stabilising patients experiencing acute mental health issues. The service offers a structured and supportive environment with high staffing ratios to ensure patients receive individualised attention and supervision. We understand that the circumstances leading to a PICU referral are often distressing and involve significant risk. As such, we maintain an unwavering commitment to patient safety while encouraging the least restrictive care practices to promote recovery.
Key features of our PICU services
- ✅ 24-hour care and supervision: The PICU operates continuously, ensuring that patients have access to immediate support when needed, day or night.
- ✅ Intensive assessment: Upon admission, patients undergo a thorough psychiatric and psychological assessment to understand their needs, risks, and personal history.
- ✅ Stabilisation: The goal of our care is to help stabilise patients, particularly those presenting with severe symptoms that may be distressing or dangerous.
- ✅ Recovery-oriented approach: Treatment plans are designed not only to manage acute crises but also to support long-term recovery. We aim to move patients to less intensive settings as soon as clinically safe.
- ✅ Multidisciplinary care: Our team of experts, including psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and occupational therapists, work together to develop and deliver personalised care plans.
Need Help?
If you or someone you know needs urgent support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our team is here to provide compassionate, expert care when you need it most.
Together, we can help
Who We Treat: A Specialist Service for Complex Needs
Our PICU is designed to treat both men and women over the age of 18, typically those who are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007). Patients referred to us are often experiencing a mental health crisis that poses a risk to their own safety or the safety of others. This could include individuals who may have failed to respond to treatment in less secure settings or whose condition is too acute for management in a general psychiatric ward.
Common diagnoses treated within our PICU include:
- ✅ Acute mental illness: Severe mental health episodes, which may include extreme distress, confusion, or agitation.
- ✅ Acute depressive illness: Major depressive episodes that significantly impair a patient’s ability to function and may include suicidal ideation.
- ✅ Psychosis: Conditions characterised by delusions, hallucinations, or disorganised thinking that affect a person’s perception of reality.
- ✅ Schizophrenia: A long-term condition that may involve psychotic episodes, as well as significant cognitive and emotional challenges.
- ✅ Bipolar disorder: This condition involves extreme mood swings, including manic and depressive episodes, which may require stabilisation in a PICU setting.
- ✅ Dual diagnosis: Many of our patients may also have co-existing substance misuse issues that complicate their mental health treatment.
- ✅ Self-harm and substance misuse: In addition to mental illness, patients may present with behaviours that put them at risk of physical harm or overdose.
We treat each patient as a unique individual, taking into account their personal history, medical background, and specific risks to develop a tailored care plan that addresses their particular needs.
Our Approach to Care: Compassion, Expertise, and Safety
At Apple Hill Hospital’s PICU, our approach to patient care is built around compassion and respect. We recognise that being admitted to a psychiatric intensive care unit can be a distressing and overwhelming experience for patients and their families. Our highly experienced staff are trained not only in clinical management but also in offering emotional support and understanding. We ensure that every step of the treatment process is communicated clearly and transparently to patients and their loved ones.
Our PICU is staffed by a dedicated multidisciplinary team (MDT), which includes:
Consultant psychiatrists
Specialists in managing severe mental health disorders and developing treatment plans.
Clinical psychologists
Experts in understanding the emotional and cognitive aspects of mental illness.
Specialist psychiatric nurses
Trained to provide acute mental health care and manage complex behavioural issues.
Occupational therapists
Professionals who help patients regain essential life skills and cope with the challenges of daily life.
Social workers
They support patients with social needs, including housing, benefits, and family relationships.
This team works collaboratively to assess, treat, and manage the complex needs of our patients, ensuring that each individual receives care that is holistic and patient-centred. The MDT also liaises with external professionals, including GPs, community mental health teams, and family members, to ensure a seamless transition of care from admission to discharge.
Pharmacological Management
Medication plays a key role in the treatment of many patients admitted to the PICU. Our expert clinicians use pharmacology to stabilise symptoms, manage risks, and address challenging behaviours. Medication regimes are carefully tailored to each patient’s needs, with regular reviews to monitor effectiveness and adjust treatment as necessary.
Alongside medication, we also emphasise the importance of non-pharmacological interventions. Our staff are skilled in de-escalation techniques, psychological therapies, and emotional support, which can be crucial in managing patients who are distressed or agitated.
Secure Environment: Ensuring Safety Without Compromising Care
Safety is paramount in our PICU. The environment is designed to provide a secure space where patients are closely monitored, but where they can also engage in therapeutic activities and begin their recovery journey. Our facilities are equipped with the necessary physical security measures to manage high-risk behaviours while promoting a calming and therapeutic atmosphere.
Our staff have extensive experience in managing high levels of risk, including aggression, self-harm, and vulnerability. Through a combination of training, teamwork, and constant vigilance, we strive to create an environment that prioritises both safety and dignity.
Family and Carer Involvement: A Holistic Approach to Recovery
We understand that mental illness affects not just the individual but also their families and carers. At Apple Hill Hospital, we believe in involving families in the treatment process as much as possible. Our team works with family members to ensure they are kept informed of their loved one’s progress and are involved in key decisions about care.
Family members are offered support to help them understand the treatment process and cope with the challenges of having a loved one in crisis. We provide regular updates and ensure that any concerns or questions are addressed promptly.
Admission Process: How to Make a Referral
Referrals to our PICU can be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure that help is available whenever it is needed. We aim to provide a swift and responsive service, with decisions on referrals typically made within two hours.
To make a referral, please contact our 24-hour referral line at 01628 569 113. Alternatively, referrals can be made via email at referrals@applehillhospital.co.uk. Our team is available to discuss individual cases, provide further information about the PICU, and offer advice on whether our service is appropriate for a potential patient.
Making a Referral
At Apple Hill Hospital, we accept referrals for both private and NHS patients, ensuring access to our Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for those in need of specialist mental health care.
For private patients, referrals can be made by family members, healthcare professionals, or the individual themselves. In cases of self-funding, the patient or their family will be responsible for covering the entire cost of care. While this allows for a more immediate and flexible admission process, it is essential to consider the long-term financial commitment. Our team is available to discuss the details of self-funding, ensuring clarity and transparency regarding the costs and options available.
For NHS patients, referrals can be made through the patient’s GP, mental health team, or other healthcare professionals. In some cases, NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding may be available for individuals with complex mental health needs that require intensive care. CHC is a fully funded option provided by the local Integrated Care Board (ICB), though not all patients will qualify. Eligibility is determined through a thorough assessment of the individual’s health condition and care needs. Our staff can assist referrers in navigating the referral process and ensuring that all necessary documentation is in place.
Supporting Recovery with Expertise and Compassion
At Apple Hill Hospital, our Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is committed to providing private patients with a high standard of care that meets their specific and complex needs. We recognise that being admitted to a PICU is a challenging experience for both patients and their families, and we strive to make this process as supportive and therapeutic as possible.
Our goal is to stabilise patients quickly, manage risks effectively, and support individuals on their path to recovery. With a dedicated team of professionals, a secure and compassionate environment, and a commitment to holistic care, our PICU is a safe haven for those in crisis. We are here to provide hope and healing during the most critical moments of mental health care.
We provide urgent admission beds for those who require rapid admission due to a deterioration in their mental health.
We offer a two-hour referral response time, with decisions made by the clinical team based on risk and current patient mix. All of our services have 24-hour medical cover and admissions can occur 24 hours a day.
Need Help?
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis and needs urgent support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our team is here to provide compassionate, expert care when you need it most.
Together, we can help