Rathbone Hospital

The low secure mental health care facility has two wards with 16 beds each.  Here a range of colleagues will work with the patient on their recovery journey. The focus of the LSU is to equip service users with the skills and strategies necessary for the transition from hospital to community living. From here there are opportunities for linking in with appropriate community activities as well as taking part in team sports, cardiovascular training and adult learning on site.

We actively encourage family and friends to stay in touch. Many service users will be able to have their own mobile which they can use in their bedroom and everyone has access to a free phone. We can also arrange in vision calls online. As we are a Secure Unit there are separate procedures regarding child visits, and all requests for child visits must be made to the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meeting for discussion.

Care meetings

At the service user’s request you will be invited to attend various care meetings. Families and carers are an important part of the patient’s recovery process but note that we can only issue these invitations with their consent. We also hold carers’ meetings where you can meet and talk to a range of trust staff.

Each month service users will have their MDT meeting. This will include everyone involved with their care. During this, service users can discuss any aspect of their care.

Every six months they will have a CPA meeting. This will include everyone involved with their care and they will discuss what progress has been made and plan care for the next six months.

We are happy to speak with families outside of formal meetings if this makes you more comfortable. Please be aware that we can only provide clinical information with the consent of the service user. If you have concerns about not being able to go to meetings to support your family member, a member of the nursing team or Ruth Wilson, the LSU social worker, can contact you following the meeting to provide you with an update. Please speak to the admin team on 0151 471 7944. Please let us know if you need the assistance of an interpreter

Visiting times

Visits usually occur in the afternoons or evenings. There will be staff present throughout. We will always try to be flexible around visiting to accommodate people’s lives and commitments. Just ask if there is a particular time which is good for you. We expect all visitors to the LSU to be respectful of our staff, patients and act according to our rules and guidelines. We remind visitors that this is a secure unit and as such they are bound by national regulation.

Post and parcels

We accept both, but we ask that you refer to our list of restricted items which can be found in this information booklet.

Any items being dropped off will need to be checked by staff in the presence of the individual dropping the item off.  This procedure has been introduced to reduce the likelihood of illicit substances or prohibited items being brought onto the unit and potentially having a negative impact upon the safety of the unit. Note that gifts can be sent or brought into the LSU on visits. Any gifts will be collected by ward staff and processed by them and any previously-used electrical items that are not in unopened packaging will be PAT tested before use.

Restricted items

These items are not allowed into the hospital:

• handbags, bags, purses, wallets.
• mobile phones and cameras
• sharp implements or weapons, including cans scissors, mirrors, cutlery, replica items, rope, bats
• glass items
• fire hazard items, including flammable liquid, lighters or matches
• chewing gum or blu-tack.
• drugs or alcohol including tobacco and e-cigs
• electronic items including laptops, tablet devices, handheld games, USB sticks
• clinically inappropriate or illegal material such as things which might incite violence or abuse

This is not an exhaustive list. If you have any questions about suitability of an item, please ask the staff at reception. Other items are monitored. These include toiletries and aerosols. You may leave money for your relative or friend as a gift. A receipt book is available to issue receipts for the amount you wish to give. Any items that are restricted will be returned.

Advocacy

An independent advocacy service is available for all patients to access during their stay at the LSU. Advocacy and Independent Mental Health advocates support and helps patients to express their views in the most effective way about issues surrounding their care, treatment, rights under the Mental Health Act and to provide support.

Contact

Allerton ward: 0151 471 7933/7933

Childwall ward: 0151 471 7954/7955

The Team provides care for people with psychosis who find it difficult to engage with our neighbourhood services.  The team provides support to people in crisis and assertive community treatment. Our aim is to invigorate hope and optimism within the person from what may be a very low point in their lives to recovery. 

Eleanor House
Rathbone Hospital
Mill Lane
Liverpool 
L13 4AW

Telephone: 0151 471 7810

Telephone: 0151 529 6128