National High Secure D/deaf Service

The National High Secure D/deaf** Service is currently located on Grampian ward within the Mental Health Directorate at Rampton Hospital. We provide a comprehensive multi-disciplinary assessment, treatment and recovery within a high secure setting for a maximum of 10 D/deaf males, irrespective of their diagnosis or treatment pathway.

Our patients are a diverse group with common themes:

• Language
• Culture
• Development
• Mental disorder
• Offending behaviour

Due to the diverse health, social and risk needs of the patients, the care and treatment of D/deaf patients includes patient involvement whenever possible, support for families/carers and other Trust departments and outside agencies wherever practicable.

The MDT aims to work towards transferring patients to a lesser secure environment as safely and quickly as possible.

 

 

Philosophy of care

Our aim is to provide a National High Secure D/deaf Service to D/deaf patients and their families, enabling equitable access to the services that hearing patients and their families/carers can expect.

We recognise and value the use of BSL and acknowledge the importance and existence of D/deaf culture. We also recognise the wide range of communication methods other than BSL used by D/deaf people. These include, but are not limited to, Sign Supported English, the use of technology (such as a Lightwriter), Signed English and Total Communication.

We recognise, respect and treat patients and staff as individuals regardless of illness, disability, age, diagnosis, culture, religion, classification under the Mental Health Act, race, background, gender identity, sexual orientation or language.

Our MDT consists of highly specialised individuals that are not only experts in their field, they are experienced in D/deaf mental health. The team includes the psychiatrist, nursing team (qualified nurses and nursing assistants), pharmacy, psychology, social work, art psychotherapy, speech and language therapy, education, and occupational therapy. Members of the Register of Sign Language Interpreters (MRSLI) enable us to engage effectively with the D/deaf patients.

We believe that there must be open and honest dialogue among practitioners, with all views being equally acknowledged and equally valued to ensure effective MDT collaboration.

We acknowledge that care and treatment must be delivered to the highest possible standard of care. To this end all members of the multidisciplinary team engage in ongoing training and supervision to enable them to use basic BSL, to have an understanding of D/deaf Culture and of mental health presentation and/or offending behaviour in D/deaf people. 

We believe that there must be open and honest dialogue among practitioners, with all views being equally acknowledged and equally valued to ensure effective MDT collaboration.

We recognise the need to maintain a balance of security and therapy to ensure the physical, procedural and therapeutic safety of the patients, staff and the public.

 

 

Contact Person

Tracey Riley
PA to Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
National High Secure Deaf Service
Tel: 01777 247 786
Email: tracey.riley@nottshc.nhs.uk