Location Bristol, England Emergency department No Number of beds 122 | Hospital type Specialist Speciality Mental Health Date founded 2006 Care system National Health Service | |
 | ||
Affiliated university The University of the West of England | ||
Callington Road Hospital is a psychiatric hospital in Bristol, England. Opened in 2006, it primarily replaced Barrow Hospital, providing psychiatric inpatient and community services for Bristol and the surrounding region. It is run by the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.
Contents
- Construction
- Alterations
- Projects
- Services
- Inpatient
- Community
- Service User and Non NHS Led
- Transport
- Facilities
- References
A Care Quality Commission inspection in 2014 found most standards were met however standards for record keeping and risk management were not met. This followed police concerns over the number of patients absconding while on leave from the hospital.
Construction
In the early 2000s, a replacement was required for Barrow Hospital, which was built in 1939. By 2002, a site was chosen for the new hospital; surplus council allotments on Callington Road, Brislington; adjacent to the former Brislington Railway Station. Avon and Wiltshire Partnership faced opposition from a local community group who felt the site was too close to a school, and mental health charity MIND who felt the area was too noisy, however in 2003 Bristol City Council sold the former allotments and construction began. A condition of planning approval was that funds be provided to develop neighbouring land into a nature reserve, which was opened in 2009. Callington Road Hospital was completed and opened in 2006.
The grounds were landscaped to include paths, water features and gardens with interpretation boards. The allotments previously on the site supported badgers, slow worms and various birds. Consideration of the ecological aspects of the site was required by Bristol City Council for project approval.
Alterations
Acer Unit (drug and alcohol rehab) was initially based at Callington Road, but in 2011 swapped buildings with Elizabeth Casson House (female PICU) and is now based at Blackberry Hill Hospital. Callington Road was the location of Bristol's 1-bed Place Of Safety until the 4 bed Mason Unit was opened at Southmead Hospital in 2012. Both Lime and Silver Birch Acute Wards were originally built with attached High Dependency Units (HDU's); both were decommissioned in line with trust-wide changes. Larch Unit Rehab was closed in early 2015, the building currently remains disused.
Projects
A series of arts projects were run at Callington Road, for adults within the hospital. Led by a poet, a musician and a visual artist, the project culminated in a booklet of poems, a CD and a series of felt collages. The work was jointly funded by the mental health trust and city council.
Services
The hospital provides the following services:
Inpatient
Community
Service-User and Non-NHS Led
A self-help group run by Bristol Hearing Voices Network is held at Callington Road. The mental health charity Rethink runs a carers' art group and carers' gardening club on site.
Callington Road Hospital does not provide Secure (forensic) Mental Health Services; which are provided at Blackberry Hill Hospital, or CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, including Eating Disorders); which are provided at Southmead and the Riverside Unit.
Transport
Since the 29th March 2015 the hospital is no longer served by the number 36 First Bus route. The free hospital minibus which provided patients and staff with transport to and from the centre ceased running from 1 May 2015. Free parking is available on-site.
Facilities
There is a WRVS shop in the main reception building (Woodside Unit) which is open most weekdays. Vending machines are available 24 hours. Site security is based in Woodside, behind reception. Also at Woodside Unit are the hospital pharmacy, Tribunal Suite, training and conference rooms.