Needham Market-based Mixbrow Construction has completed a new unit for the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust which will offer new mothers suffering from mental health problems specialist help closer to home.
The Kingfisher Mother and Baby Unit at Hellesdon Hospital in Norwich will ensure mums and their babies can stay together while the mother receives inpatient care for conditions such as severe postnatal depression, serious anxiety disorders and postpartum psychosis.
Mixbrow was appointed in November 2017 and has spent the last 11 months carrying out the construction work to renovate the existing Kingfisher House and turn it into an eight-bed mother and baby unit for the region. The new facility now offers a range of therapeutic services, including medication, cognitive behavioural therapy and family therapy, along with help with bonding and attachment.
Darren Webb managing director at Mixbrow Construction said: “It has been great to play such an important part in ensuring this facility is ready and able to help new mothers in providing them with the care they need, so that they can develop a strong bond with their baby and go on to enjoy a healthy future.”
The internal decoration of the £4 million unit has been designed in partnership with staff and service users, and uses a muted, homely and welcoming colour palette.
Each of the eight en-suite bedrooms has been identified by a different flower design on the door, while local artists Toby Rampton and Bev Coraldean have also created bespoke works for the unit.
NSFT has recruited more than 30 mental health nurses, assistant practitioners, therapists, support workers, social workers and nursery nurses to run the service.
They will work closely with NSFT’s Community Perinatal Teams in Suffolk and Norfolk, which provide specialist care within the community for conditions such as severe postnatal depression, bipolar disorder and psychosis.
The MBU will also accept referrals from existing specialist perinatal teams, health visitors, midwives and GPs from across Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, as well as other parts of the country.
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