NHS trust set to back new mental health unit

The new building, at the site of Clifton House Treatment Centre, would provide 22 beds for women who are at serious risk of causing harm to themselves or others because of mental disorders.

A report due before a board meeting of the NHS North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (PCT) on next Tuesday recommends approval of work to begin on the new unit, which is planned to be open by next year.

The report claims there is a distinct lack of NHS facilities within North Yorkshire and across the region for women’s low security services.

Meanwhile, yesterday Sir Michael Carlisle, chairman of the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust Board, officially opened a £2.4m ward at the hospital.

The 28-bed Maple Ward should help eliminate mixed sex accommodation.

Sir Michael, who has been chairman of the trust board for four years, said: “I was honoured to be asked to open Maple Ward. It really is a fantastic facility which is offering surgical patients a wonderful environment in which to recover.

“I am immensely proud of this ward and it means a great deal to me to officially declare it open.”

James Hayward, director of facilities, said: “This development has been designed to meet the most modern and exacting standards for NHS inpatient accommodation and it represents another step towards the modernisation of the Scarborough site.

“I am delighted to have received so many positive comments from patients, staff and visitors.

“This project sets the standard we aim to achieve in future developments at the hospital.”

Construction work began on the ward in August 2009 and it opened last October.