New women’s specialist mental health unit opens at Stepping Hill Hospital

A £2.4 million specialist mental health unit has opened its doors in Stockport to improve care for women experiencing severe mental health distress.

The Woodbank Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit is based at Stockport’s Stepping Hill Hospital and run by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust. With six beds, it provides short-term intensive care and therapy for women aged 18+ experiencing serious mental illness such as psychosis or severe depression.

The unit will accept referrals for women living in Pennine Care’s five boroughs – Tameside, Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale and Bury. Previously, they would have had to be admitted to a privately-run unit, sometimes a long way from home.

Woodbank will allow them to stay closer to home and supported by their loved ones. It’ll be easier for the team to link patients with local services, such as rehab or supported housing, ensuring they can be safely discharged more quickly.

The team has already welcomed the first five patients. Over the last couple of weeks, members of the team visited the women to establish a relationship, understand their needs, and ensure they feel reassured about the move.

The Woodbank team includes nurses, health care assistants, occupational therapists, psychologists, pharmacists, and a dedicated consultant psychiatrist. They’ll work together to provide a package of care, based on each patient’s needs and wishes. 

Unit manager Vanessa Moreland said:

“We’re delighted to welcome our first patients and get them settled in. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in developing Woodbank. There’s been some challenges, but it’s been a labour of love for many, myself included.

“Our fabulous and highly trained team are passionate about providing the best care and want patients to feel at home. They’ve been amazing getting everything ready, right down to welcome goody bags containing shampoo, shower gel, hot chocolate and tea bags printed with uplifting messages.

“We’ve put careful thought into everything, including bedding, colour schemes, lighting and the activities and games chosen to keep patients busy and entertained.

“We’re all raring to go, so we can start to make a positive difference to some of the most vulnerable women in our communities.”