Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust’s low secure autism ward opening | Our News

Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust’s (CWPT) newly built low secure autism ward at Brookland’s hospital, named Onyx, will be opening on Monday 19 June.

Onyx is a purpose-built, 7-bedded ward with individual studio-style living accommodation. The ward provides person-centred clinical assessments and interventions for patients who have been diagnosed with autism. It has been co-produced with input from service users with sensory processing difficulties in mind and offers a low stimulus environment for our patients.

The opening will be taking place from 9am, with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 9:30am, followed by guided drop-in tours of the ward with a member of staff from 10:30am-3:30pm.

Mel Coombes MBE, Chief Executive at CWPT, said: “The opening of Onyx Ward marks our commitment to the provision of high quality, purpose-built spaces for our patients to thrive. The unit has been specifically designed with our service users in mind and offers person-centred accommodation for autistic patients with sensory processing difficulties and we are rightly very proud to open such an excellent facility for our patients and their patient experience”.

Professor Ashok Roy OBE, Consultant Psychiatrist and Associate Medical Director at CWPT, said: “The lack of high-quality community services often means that autistic people can spend long periods in hospital, even after the completion of treatment. Onyx is one of the first purpose-built autism-friendly secure inpatient facilities in the West Midlands. It has individual flats each with a private garden space, with particular attention to light and sound levels which reduces sensory overstimulation; this is commonly seen in autistic people in conventional inpatient wards. These facilities are going to be staffed by a highly skilled multi-disciplinary team under the leadership of Professor Peter Langdon, an internationally renowned expert in the field. The Trust is proud to add a key service to the autism pathway and strengthen its service offer to realise the ambition of the national autism strategy.”

Dan Doyle, Director at Willmott Dixon, said: “We’re thrilled to be handing over the Onyx Ward at Brooklands Hospital and to have been part of a project that will ensure the safety and comfort of individuals during their rehabilitation journey.

The Ward also incorporates sustainable elements to reduce its operational impact on the environment, including taking a fabric-first approach, utilising air source heat pumps and PV solar panels, and aiming for a BREEAM Excellent certification.”

If you would like to attend the opening event, please contact our Communications team on Communications@covwarkpt.nhs.uk.