All Saints Hospital

All Saints Hospital is a culturally sensitive service which has been created to provide support and rehabilitation with care and intervention from both deaf and hearing members of staff.  The service offers programmes for men aged 18 and above who present with challenges and who require specialist care.  The hospital also has gender specific, self-contained flats for men and women over 18 years old, to help them move along their care pathway to more independent living.

In response to the Department of Health report; Towards Equity and Access 2005, All Saints Hospital recognises the needs of deaf people and the difficulties in providing a cultural and linguistic service in mainstream Mental Health Services.

All About Me: Deaf Recovery Package

The deaf mental health charity SignHealth, has worked in partnership with patients and staff to develop the “All About Me: Deaf Recovery Package”.  This is a person centred programme used by All Saints Hospital and many other mental health services to support deaf patients. Recovery at All Saints doesn’t just mean, getting better.  “All About Me” is to help everyone understand how deaf people are affected by a mental health problem and how we can help them recover control in their lives.  The plan gets people to think about the positive things they have in their life and make plans for the future.

The “All About Me: Deaf Recovery Package” covers these ten domains:

• Communication – Good communication helps me to understand how to get well.
• Identity – My deaf identity is a part of who I am.
• Understanding my mental health – My care pathway and my mental wellness.
• Problems – My problem behaviour and how it affects me and others.
• Rights – What are my rights as a deaf person? As a mental health service user? In the community?
• Services – What key services support me in life? Housing, employment, community?
• Information – What information do I need?
• Healthy Living – What keeps me physically well?
• Activities – Learning skills, self-care and activities I like.
• Relationships – Family, deaf and hearing friends, community.

Psychological therapies:

Interventions targeting the deprivation which is unique to deaf patients, include emotional literacy, social skills, relationships and sexual education.  Other approaches used to support the treatment of mental health problems include Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), Anger Management Therapy and treatment for substance misuse.

Occupational therapies include:

Aids and adaptations

Cooking and self-catering

Community skills development

Budgeting and support with benefits

Vocational skills development

Access to educational opportunities

Access to leisure pursuits

Facilities

All Saints Hospital is a purpose built hospital specifically commissioned to meet the needs of deaf people and individuals with complex communication difficulties.

• 16 en-suites single bedrooms (including 4 bedsits)
• 4 one bedroom flats
• British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreting
• Environmental aids required for deaf people
• IT activity rooms
• Spacious recreational areas
• Transportation for accessing community resources
• Visiting rooms for adults and children

Working closely with the patient and their families, the rehabilitation team will help to set short and long term treatment goals for recovery.  The hospital is well established as part of the local community and patients are encouraged wherever possible to engage in local community life. All patients are supported to develop their domestic and community living skills

Our Philosophy

All Saints Hospital recognises the complexities of supporting deaf people with complex care needs to access treatment.  To support accessibility all therapies and activities are delivered by staff trained in British Sign Language (BSL) and hearing staff who have deaf awareness.  Getting communication right is key from the start.  Staff will use BSL, Makaton, translation, writing, visual and find the most appropriate communication equipment for that individual.

Admission Criteria

Deaf or hearing people with special communication needs

Aged 18 years or over

Mental health problems including forensic

Developmental disorders

Complex needs and behaviours seen as challenging

Personality disorders

Substance misuse

Acute Relapses and Crisis Intervention

We are able to admit informal or detained patients under Mental Health Act (1983, amended 2007)