Treatment team

The CAMHS PICU Ward Manager leads the team who care for young people in crisis. They make sure the ward is safe and runs well each day. They guide the staff, help plan care and make sure safety is always a priority.

They support a calm and caring space where young people feel heard. They work closely with families and other services to make sure each young person gets the right support. Their aim is to create a safe and steady place where young people and staff can learn, grow and feel supported.

The Specialist Eating Disorder Ward Manager leads the team who support young people with eating disorders. They make sure the ward is safe, calm and caring, so recovery is protected.

They guide the daily care on the ward, help manage risks and support good teamwork. They work with families, staff and other services to make sure each young person gets care that meets their physical and emotional needs.

Their main focus is to speak up for young people and create a space where they feel safe, understood and supported during their recovery.

The General Adolescent Unit Ward Manager leads a team of different professionals who support young people with mental health needs. They make sure the ward is safe, well run and caring, so young people feel supported and able to take part in their care.

They oversee the day to day work on the ward. This includes clinical work, staff support and managing risks. They help the team provide high quality, trauma informed care. They also work closely with families, staff and other services to make sure each young person gets care that meets their individual needs.

At the heart of their role is speaking up for compassionate care, supporting recovery and building a positive ward culture where young people and staff can do well.

The Psychiatrist is also called the Responsible Clinician (RC). This means they are involved in many decisions about your care. If you come into hospital under a section of the Mental Health Act, they are responsible for this. They will carry out the checks and complete the paperwork linked to your section.

They will meet with you often to talk about how your stay is going and whether your treatment needs to change. If a medicine might help you, they will explain this and arrange for it to be started.

Occupational Therapists (OTs) work across all three wards at The Lookout Adolescent Unit. They see young people one to one and run groups. They also go to important meetings about a young person's care and speak with other professionals who support them.

In Occupational Therapy, the word occupation means the everyday things we do. This includes school, self care, hobbies, spending time with others and relaxing.

OTs spend time getting to know a young person's strengths and any challenges they face with daily tasks. After these assessments, OTs can suggest personalised strategies and help build skills for everyday life. This supports young people to take part in a healthy, balanced routine.

Activity Co ordinators (ACs) work on all three wards at The Lookout Adolescent Unit. They see young people on their own and in groups.

ACs support young people by planning and running many different activities. These activities can be changed to suit each person's needs and interests. Examples include baking, football, crafts, board games, slime making, trips into the local community and pamper nights.

Activities help give structure to the day. They can also help young people build skills, grow confidence, and have fun.

 

Specialist Dietitians are an important part of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) at The Lookout Adolescent Unit. They help support the physical health and recovery of young people on all three wards.

The Dietitians:

• assess each young person's nutritional needs
• give clear advice and treatment for eating or diet problems linked to mental health
• work closely with the MDT to agree safe and helpful nutrition plans
• check progress regularly and change plans when needed

Family therapy helps families understand each other and find ways to support one another. It aims to strengthen relationships and reduce blame or distress.

Family therapists create a safe space where people can talk about difficult thoughts and feelings. They help families:

• understand each other's experiences and views
• recognise each person's needs
• notice and build on family strengths
• work together to make helpful changes

In inpatient CAMHS, a family therapist supports families during a young person's hospital stay. They help everyone make sense of what led to the admission and explore what can support recovery. The aim is to help the young person return safely to life in the community.

At Hopewood, we work in different ways. Sometimes we meet with you and your whole family. Sometimes we meet with parents or carers and young people separately. At other times, we may work only with the staff team or other services involved in your care to help us understand your needs.

Clinical Psychologists work with young people, families and staff on all our wards. Their role is to understand a young person's strengths and the things they find difficult. They want to make each hospital stay as helpful and as short as possible.

Clinical Psychologists are interested in thoughts, feelings, behaviours and past experiences. They are trained in many types of therapy, so they can offer support that fits the young person's needs and goals. They may also suggest therapies that could help. Taking part in therapy is always a choice.

They go to important meetings about a young person's care and talk with other professionals involved. They also work behind the scenes to help make sure the wards are trauma informed and feel safe for everyone.

The Physical Healthcare Matron at The Lookout leads physical healthcare on the three CAMHS wards. These wards are:

• the eating disorders unit
• the general adolescent ward
• the PICU

Their main job is to make sure young people with complex mental health needs get safe, good quality physical healthcare. They understand that physical health and mental health are closely linked.

They carry out clinical checks and support staff when a young person has complex physical health needs. They also lead work to make physical healthcare better across the service. They work with the whole team to make sure:

• physical health is monitored safely
• problems are spotted early
• care is based on good evidence

This is very important for young people who have medical needs linked to eating disorders or acute behavioural disturbance.

As well as working with young people, they help staff build their skills. They also help improve systems that keep care safe, so physical health stays a key focus while a young person is in hospital.

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) at The Lookout gives expert mental health nursing support across three CAMHS wards:

• the PICU
• the general adolescent unit
• the specialist eating disorders ward

The CNS carries out specialist assessments and helps guide clinical decisions. She makes sure care plans are clear, safe, and based on good practice. She also supports work to improve the quality of care across the service.

A big part of her role is helping young people move safely out of hospital. She works to make sure each transition is well planned and that the young person gets the right support in the community. She works closely with families, community teams, and partner agencies to make sure everyone is involved and that the plan focuses on the young person's strengths and goals.

The CNS keeps a strong focus on improving outcomes and promoting best practice. She helps create calm, therapeutic environments where young people feel understood, supported, and confident in their recovery.

Art Psychotherapy supports young people on the CAMHS inpatient wards by giving them a safe space to explore their thoughts and feelings through art. Making art can help express emotions that may feel hard to say out loud.

An Art Psychotherapist helps the young person use art, play, and talking to explore their feelings at their own pace. At Hopewood, the Art Psychotherapists work closely with the whole care team. They also help shape each young person's care plan so their emotional wellbeing is fully supported.

The aim of Art Psychotherapy is to help young people understand themselves better, feel more in control, and find creative ways to cope during a difficult time. There is no need to be good at art . It is simply a safe place to be creative, express yourself, and feel understood.