A ‘VITAL’ rehabilitation facility for men with life-limiting brain injuries which opened in Barnsley earlier this month will pave the way for the town to become a national hub of recovery, according to bosses behind the ambitious project.
Cygnet Health Care welcomed the Mayor of Barnsley, Coun Pauline Markham, to officially open Cygnet Pindar House, a new 22-bed neuropsychiatric service for men with neurological conditions and acquired brain injuries on Upper Sheffield Road.
The new facility ‘provides a much-needed service not currently catered for in Yorkshire and the Humber’, according to Cygnet bosses, helping to reduce out-of-area placements and support people returning to community living.
A spokesman told the Chronicle this week that the Barnsley facility could become a national beacon for services.
They added: “The hospital is a purpose-built facility that has been designed specifically to provide a clinically-led, evidence-based neuropsychiatric pathway for those individuals presenting with behaviours that challenge.
“Our focus is to create a therapeutic environment which engages our service users and offers them the opportunity to minimise their challenging behaviour and maximise their independence.
“Our person-centred approach puts the individual at the centre of their treatment and discharge planning. The service offers a wide range of activities and facilities to promote independent function.
“Positive behaviour goals are focused on discharge planning to support service users to return to community living, either with support or independently.”
Cygnet claim the unit represents a significant step forward in increasing national provision in this highly specialist area of care, an area of which has been traditionally hit hard by austerity cuts and a lack of local-based centres which result in patients travelling elsewhere to access treatment.
Manager Jackie Ewington added: “We have a carefully designed rehabilitation model which is formulated to maximise the potential and ability of each service user.
“We put patients at the heart of their treatment and offer a wide range of activities and therapies to promote independence. We’ll be doing lots of activities and our outside space will be used to the maximum to get the men out and about moving, active and engaged.
“As an organisation committed to making a positive difference to the lives of our patients and their loved ones, we’re looking forward to providing bespoke support to those who need our specialist care.
“Working in partnership with NHS and local authority commissioners, as well as the third sector and other key partners, Cygnet Pindar House will create opportunities to work together, share learning and constantly strive to improve the provision of specialist health care across Yorkshire and the Humber.
“We are also pleased to be bringing new jobs and investment into the local economy and are committed to working together with the local community.”
