Our service is for males aged 18-70 years old with learning disabilities who have stepped-down from secure units or who have stepped-up from inpatient units or the community. We support individuals who require an enhanced level of supervision but do not need low security services.
We provide adapted treatment programmes to complete their recovery and/or rehabilitation or to reduce their risk of offending and entering secure services
Our 'Step Down' service facilitates effective robust transition and integration into the community following a previous period in secure services. This service allows for safe incremental development of Positive Risk Taking for an individual, for instance using opportunities for shadowed escorted leave. A controlled stepped reduction of restrictive practice is possible in this environment. Quality of life for the individual is enhanced during the transition period in a way that can’t easily be replicated if transitioning directly from a secure service to community.
Our 'Step Up' service reduces the risk of an individual offending where behaviour has been deteriorating and risk of offending increasing. The aim of the step up is to avoid admission to secure services and, following a period of supported recovery and/or rehabilitation, a safe return to a community setting. Improving and maintaining a good quality of life for the individual during this challenging period in their lives is a key principle of the step up process. In this environment restrictive practices can be kept to the minimum required by the individual and reviewed and reduced regularly as recovery progresses.
The Larches offers:
- An accessible environment - 3 of the unit’s bedrooms are on the ground floor. Accessible activities and gym are available.
- A seamless patient pathway - Clear pathway timescales, integrated person centred recovery and rehabilitation programmes, collaboration with Forensic Community Team and Intensive Support Team to support integration into community, and access to external agencies such as housing services. Continuity of Responsible Clinician from hospital to community. Physical health and wellbeing integral to care.
- An MDT assessment care planning review - Shared multi-disciplinary assessment formulation and care planning following recovery principles. Care & Treatment Reviews (CTR’s) and the Care Planning Approach are embedded in the units processes. Embedded risk management processes and Relational security is a priority.
- A Positive Behavioural Support approach - Positive risk taking and controlled stepped reduction of restrictive practice
- Specially adapted treatment programmes - tailored to individual offence and risk profiles e.g. Group work helping and empowering patients to develop their knowledge and skills to live a safe ‘Good Life’
What about carers and families?
Active involvement of carers in consultation with The Larches patients is valued and encouraged. Families and carers can provide essential support to someone who has been admitted to The Larches. We invite them to be involved throughout someone’s stay. Ways in which they can help include:
- providing our staff with information about a person during their admission
- maintaining contact with the person
- being involved in decisions about the person’s care, treatment, and future discharge
We receive referrals from someone’s consultant psychiatrist or care manager.
You can contact The Larches at any time. Ask for the nurse in charge when you call.
Address:
The Larches
Hallam Street Hospital
Hallam Street
West Bromwich
B71 4NH
Telephone : 0121 612 8680