Mental health inpatients for older people
We have a number of wards at our Prospect Park Hospital dedicated to providing care and treatment for people suffering from mental health problems.
Our inpatient service is split into three groups:
- For adults (visit the service page - opens new browser tab)
- For older people (this service)
- Psychiatric Intensive Care (visit the service page - opens new browser tab)
This page is for older people needing mental health care and treatments, including Dementia.
Once you’ve been referred to our service, we’ll offer you a bed on one of our wards as soon as possible. Unfortunately we have a limited number of beds so, if possible, we might ask you to wait a little while or refer you to another hospital.
Each ward has access to a multi-skilled team consisting of:
- Psychiatrists
- Nurses
- Psychologists
- Occupational therapists
- Speech and language therapists
- Physiotherapists
- Dietitians
- Health care assistants
Once you’re on one of our wards, we’ll meet with you to discuss your care needs and put together a care plan with the aim of helping you return home safely.
You may find that, to start with, you’re not allowed to leave the hospital or need to be accompanied if you do. Our clinical team, however, will continually assess your progress and discuss this with you.
You’ll also have access to our therapy service, which runs seven days a week, both on our wards and in our Therapy Centre. We have a mixture of staff and volunteers who deliver a range of activities including woodwork, gardening, sports activities, and games and puzzles.
We have two mixed gender wards dedicated to older people’s mental health, each with a maximum of 20 beds.
- Rowan ward – for patients with dementia
- Orchid ward – for all other patients
To access our service, you’ll first need to be assessed by our Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHTT).
Visit the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHTT) service page
They’ll decide whether you need to be admitted for a stay on one of our wards and will then refer you to our care.
Our service is open to anyone who is registered with a Berkshire GP.
If you’re brought directly to hospital by the police, however, you may be assessed under the Mental Health Act by an approved mental health practitioner and an independent doctor before being referred to our care.
Our Neurodiversity Passport can help you communicate your needs to our staff. It covers sensory processing, your communication preferences, and topics that might make you feel anxious and overwhelmed, so that we can support you.
