Governors and Non-Executive Directors visit Highgate East | News

As we prepare to open our new inpatient mental health hospital at Highgate East this month, we were delighted to welcome Governors and Non-Executive Directors for a visit of the groundbreaking facility.

During this visit, they had a chance to see some of the 78 single ensuite rooms designed with service users’ comfort and safety in mind. They also saw the new therapy rooms, as well as a state-of-the-art sports hall, which will help look after both the mental and physical health of all, within the same building.

Highgate East has been developed to replace the ageing inpatient facilities at St Pancras Hospital in Camden, and to provide an improved therapeutic environment to support service users’ recovery. It also includes great places for work and rest for staff, as well as comfortable areas for visitors and families, including children. A community café will open on Level 1, helping break the stigma around mental health hospitals.

The use of light and outdoor spaces has been prioritised, as well as temperature control, to enhance comfort and wellbeing.

During the visit, Governors and Non-Executive Directors were impressed with the new facility – in particular the attention placed on coproduction and serving local communities.

Olga Cecilia Farach, Deputy Lead Governor & Islington Public Governor said: “It is good to know that service users have been influencing in the design of the new Highgate East building.

This visit helped us understand what an important contribution the North London Mental Health Partnership can make to improving the lives of our local communities across the five boroughs of Camden, Islington, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey. By putting patients at the centre of estate development, Highgate East is showing the way to a future where mental health conditions are treated in comfortable, open and safe buildings.”
 

Additional information:

• The visit referenced in this article took place on 4 and 8 March 2024 and were attended by Governors Nicholas Russell, Jacqueline Noon, Olga Cecilia Farach, Henry Chua, Simon Ramage, Samantha Gordon, and Non-Executive Directors Paul Pugh, Charles Waddicor, Lloydette Bai-Marrow and Angela Daniel
• St Pancras Development Project Director Akin Durowoju, supported by Dragomir Ralev, led the visit.
• The new hospital has five levels:
  • Lower ground includes the sport facility as well as estates team.
  • In the Level 1 is the Sunstone Ward, which has the Approved Mental Health Professional office, volunteers’ office, spiritual area, family room, junior doctors' office, hot desking area, and a community cafe. 
  • Level 2 has two wards, the Emerald Ward & Pear Ward. The Level 3 has two wards, the Gamet Ward & Malachite Ward, with the same facilities that Level 1 has.
  • The Level 4 includes the consultant office, matrons' office, and board room.

* Author: Olga Cecilia Farach, Deputy Lead Governor & Islington Public Governor