Cherry Oak is a 10-bedded specialist low secure Tier 4 CAMHS unit within St Luke’s Healthcare, Attleborough for adolescent males. The unit is located on twelve acres of landscape grounds situated fourteen miles south of Norwich, Norfolk.

Facilities

• St Luke’s Attleborough provides adolescents comfortable en-suite bedrooms and welcoming lounges for socialising and relaxation. In addition there are therapy rooms, a number of meeting rooms, dining rooms, training kitchens, computer rooms and classrooms. There are pleasant sensory garden areas and a large secure garden for individual and group activities.
• There are two further outdoor recreation areas on site: a hard surfaced sports area (football, basketball, cycling proficiency etc) and trampolines and spas in each garden.
• There is a separate Occupational Therapy/educational facility that consists of a large training kitchen, a classroom, a workshop area, a common/activity room, one sensory soft play area and a multi-sensory room.
• On-site luxuriously furnished overnight accommodation is available for visiting families.
• Hospital transport to access the local amenities, to attend college or for general access to many interesting places in the area.

Admission criteria

We admit young people between the ages of 12 and 18, across a range of abilities from profound/severe to moderate/mild learning disabilities with or without a mental health need. Some of our patients have a history of offending, and may or may not be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (sections 2,3,37,37/41). Examples of the types of problem we frequently work with are: complex neuro-developmental and neuro-psychiatric disorders (including learning disability, autistic spectrum disorder, ADHD, epilepsy, incontinence, behavioural difficulties, anxiety, self-harm, emotional difficulties, family relationships, social development, etc). Often our starting point is enabling a better understanding of the young person’s needs, knowing and developing their skills. We work closely with the young people and their families/guardians to gather as much information about the young person in order to understand the nature of their problems. Understanding the problem will enable us to decide how we may be able to be of assistance in maximizing their potential abilities. We work to ensure we meet the highest criteria in the quality of care that we provide.

What we offer

• Comprehensive and specialist assessment (including Risk Assessment) and high quality, integrated, evidence based management/treatment within a low secure set up.
• Intensive and high standard care and educational support in a safe, positive and flexible environment.
• Individualised care plans with active user involvement.
• Care plan/management orchestrated by specialist multi-disciplinary team in close collaboration/partnership with local networks of professionals, family and other carers.
• Overall care co-ordination by robust CPA and multiagency liaison.
• Specialised treatment programmes including continuous behaviour management and support to developmental needs.
• Emphasis on community based activities and integration along with on site therapeutic programmes in medium to long term care and rehabilitation.
• Excellent facilities and comfortable environment. On site furnished overnight accommodation for visiting families.

Clinical services

Therapeutic services are rendered by a dedicated multi-disciplinary team, comprising of Consultant Psychiatrist, Speciality Doctor, Specialist Nurses and Assistants, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Teachers, Speech and Language Therapist etc. The ranges of services offered are:

• Cognitive behavioural and behaviour therapy
• Other Psychological therapies
• Group work/therapy
• Mindfulness based therapy
• Functional activity (music, cookery, relaxation etc)
• Education
• Parenting work and Family work
• Social work
• Independent living skills/ADL training
• Vocational training
• Social/Community skills training
• Communication groups
• Sensory integration work
• Psycho-education
• Awareness groups (sex education, stress management, hygiene etc)
• Anger Management
• Psychopharmacology
• Outdoor activities

Most of the treatments involve talking and thinking about things in a different way that are based on considered evidence. We provide multi-disciplinary assessment, treatment and rehabilitation care pathways. Our care programme encompasses the holistic approach and recognises that young people should be treated with dignity and respect within the environment that has boundaries and structure which is suited to cope with the problems and risks they present.

Our team strives to enable these young people to maximise their potential and contribution to society through positive interventions and the support of their carers. We believe that every interaction with a young person has the potential to be therapeutic.

Our philosophy of care

• St. Luke’s is founded on the principle that specific medical, mental health and learning-related issues cannot be addressed separately from the wider social and emotional needs of our patients.
• In particular, we believe that patients should not fall into a gap between mental health provision and learning support. St. Luke’s multi-disciplinary teams offer individual care programmes in relaxed, supportive and peaceful surroundings. We see recreation and learning as more than just adjuncts to treatment – they are an essential part of each patient’s programme.
• St. Luke’s promotes a culture of respect, courtesy and dignity for all individuals. Each patient’s care is - as far as is safe and practical - guided by principles of choice, decision making and empowerment.
• Central to our approach to working with young people with learning disabilities, is the aim to support, restore and improve the quality of the relationships between parents/guardians and their children, in order to foster resilience and positive self esteem.
• Young people’s learning is optimised in the context of positive and sensitive inter-subjective experiences.

Pathway of Care

• Our team will undertake an immediate preliminary assessment either on referral or on admission (in urgent cases) which will be led by our Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist.
• A key nurse/care worker will be allocated on admission who will be involved in his/her day to day care and will ensure communication as well as ensuring the young person’s needs are met according to the care plan.
• The young person will under-go a holistic assessment by various professionals in the team to establish his/her psychiatric, psychological, emotional, social, educational and spiritual needs.
• A clear care plan of varied therapeutic interventions and ongoing individualised management protocol will be drawn collaboratively and will be reviewed frequently, including once a week Clinical review meetings. Referring teams and families will be contacted on regular basis to update them about progress.
• A clear individualised step down Care Pathway will be created from admission to discharge, embracing the CPA and other relevant procedures.

Meet the Team