Designing better mental healthcare facilities

£20 m Leeds facility for vulnerable young people completed

Tilbury Douglas has successfully completed the design and construction of the new £20 m Red Kite View mental health inpatient unit in Armley, Leeds for Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

The contractor describes Red Kite View as ‘an exemplar new mental health inpatient unit for people aged between 13-18, offering expert therapy and treatment to some of the most vulnerable young people in the Yorkshire region’. Tilbury Douglas said: “It has been designed in partnership with clinicians and young people, who’ve contributed their ideas, hopes, and aspirations for care at the new unit. They also helped to decide on the name ‘Red Kite View’ – as nature is strongly associated with mental wellbeing and rehabilitation.

The 22-bed unit replaces the eight-bedded unit at Little Woodhouse Hall in Leeds, increasing regional bed capacity by 14 as part of a drive to eliminate out-of-area placements for young people who need an inpatient admission but who can’t access a bed locally.

Its two main wards will be staffed by a 100-strong team of nurses, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, teachers, allied health professionals, and non-clinical support staff. Three times the size of the previous one at Little Woodhouse Hall, the team is able to offer a wider range of therapies and support.

Dawn Hanwell, Deputy Chief Executive at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It has been my absolute privilege to lead this project and finally see it come to fruition after five years of hard work from a huge range of people. This is our first project with Tilbury Douglas, but it has been a genuine partnership, and an enjoyable and positive experience for all stakeholders, overcoming a number of challenges to deliver a world-class facility on a complex site.”

John Gittins, Divisional director – North at Tilbury Douglas, commented: “We are extremely proud to be associated with Red Kite View. In partnership we have successfully delivered a highly sustainable building incorporating air source heat pumps and photovoltaics to reduce carbon. We also provided flexibility and innovations along the journey to counter the challenges of COVID-19 and Brexit. Congratulations to all the team and partners, this is a really brilliant facility for the region.”

Gilling Dod provided architecture, interior design, and arts coordination services on the new mental healthcare facility.

 

 

 

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