Specialist dementia ward opens after revamp

Dr John Devapriam, left, said the new facilities would help patients to reach recovery goals and be able to leave hospital more quickly

A specialist ward for dementia patients has opened following a multi-million-pound transformation.

The revamped ward is part of the Stonebow Unit, which is near Hereford County Hospital and houses three mental health wards for inpatients.

The wards are being reworked in a £14.9m redevelopment project, said Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, which runs the unit.

It is part of a national push to eradicate dormitory-style accommodation from mental health facilities, the trust added.

Private ensuite bedrooms

On the refurbished dementia ward, each patient has their own bedroom and ensuite bathroom, plus there are larger communal areas and a female-only lounge.

Dr John Devapriam, the trust's medical director, said the new facilities would help patients to reach recovery goals and be able to leave hospital more quickly.

In October 2020, the government pledged more than £400m over four years to eradicate dormitory-style accommodation from mental health facilities across the country. This followed a £250m pledge earlier that year.

The Cantilupe ward, the revamped dementia ward in Herefordshire, focuses on elderly patients with the condition.

The revamped Jenny Lind ward, which is also at the Stonebow Unit, opened in 2022. Construction is under way on the unit’s third ward, the Mortimer ward, and it is due to open later this year.