News

We are pleased to announce the opening of two new secure wards within The Orchard at West London NHS Trust, as part of the North London Forensic Collaborative’s ongoing commitment to providing specialised mental health care in a safe and supportive environment.

Damson Ward is a five-bedded secure ward designed for women with complex mental health and communication needs, including those with intellectual disability, other cognitive impairment, and autistic women. This is the first secure ward for women with these needs in North London.  Parkland Ward is a ten-bedded secure ward focused on women who need intensive mental health care and treatment, including those who become acutely unwell. The Parkland team will specialise in the acute care and assessment stages of the women’s secure care pathway.

Both wards will provide  trauma-informed and person-centred care. The environment will be structured, supportive, and gender-sensitive, fostering recovery, community reintegration, and independence. Alongside this, our new joint admission panel will provide a central point of admissions for women across north London. Our aim is to empower service users by promoting meaningful engagement in their care, delivered through respectful, dignified, and inclusive practices.

Mark Landy, Managing Director of North London Forensic Collaborative said;  "The opening of additional womens services provides an opportunity to deliver care closest to home for those typically placed out of area.   We are committed to providing a secure and nurturing environment where women can receive the care they need, in the least restrictive environment, whilst taking an active role in making choices about the support they need."

The opening of these wards is part of a national programme to deliver whole-system transformation for women in forensic services.  The Women’s Secure Pathway Transformation Programme -  focuses on 15 core components of transformation, including preventing unnecessary admissions, ensuring purposeful admissions, enhancing ward environments, facilitating seamless transitions between services, and strengthening community reintegration. The transformation of womens’ services is being coproduced with people with lived and living experience, staff in secure services and interfacing services.

For more information, contact:
Sarah Avery, Marketing and Communications Lead
Email: sarah.avery4@nhs.net