New Mental Health Hospital provides more local care

A new mental health scheme just outside the historic town of Wellington near Taunton is almost complete. We have been working closely with developer Montpelier Estates to deliver Wellesley Hospital: a low secure facility that will provide high quality recovery centred care for a range of users.

The development lies within a generous site and comprises four main blocks configured to form an enclosed 75 bed complex over 5 wards. The main hospital entrance along with reception, administration and recreation spaces such as café, gym and sports hall are located together in Block A, whilst the remaining three blocks provide ward accommodation. Sub-wards are arranged in clusters of 7/8 beds allowing flexibility to cater for variations in the service user cohort.

The focus here is on recovery: each ward has generous social/leisure provision with lounges, informal seating and games such as pool; there is also dedicated outdoor space, ADL rooms (Activities for Daily Living), and dining areas. Anti-ligature measures are subtle and the environment light and uplifting with opportunity for a range of therapeutic activities – woodworking, arts and crafts and horticulture – as service users progress towards recovery.

The new hospital is expected to create over 220 local jobs and will help to alleviate the acute shortage of secure accommodation in the South West so that vulnerable people will no longer have to travel long distances away from local support to access the specialist care they need.