Specialist Complex Mental Health & Eating Difficulties Service

 
 

Supporting adults with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD) and co-existing disordered eating within a specialist therapeutic environment

About Southern Hill

Southern Hill Hospital provides specialist inpatient therapeutic interventions for adults with a range of complex mental health difficulties.

Set within beautiful grounds in rural Norfolk, the hospital houses separate buildings and units, enabling different areas within the hospital to provide bespoke, needs oriented intervention spaces.

Adler Ward a separate, eight bed, contained living environment enables personalised care, guided by trauma-informed formulations and tailored interventions for adults with lived experience of complex mental health difficulties as well as co-existing difficulties related to eating and nutrition.

We also provide services to adults with complex mental health needs who may struggle to adjust to and manage strong emotions alongside presentations of eating difficulties.

Why Choose Southern Hill?

  • Complex Mental Health & Eating Difficulties Pathway

  • Trauma-Informed Care

  • Experienced Multidisciplinary Team

  • Evidence-Based Psychological Therapies

  • Individualised Treatment & Recovery Planning

  • Focus on Progression & Greater Independence

Who We Support

We support adults with complex mental health experiences who may struggle with emotional upheavals and escalations alongside difficulties associated with food, eating and nutritional wellbeing.

 Our services and therapeutic offer aim to go beyond the diagnostics (e.g. EUPD) to include the experiential narratives of our service users. This holistic principle is at the heart of our ethos.

Individuals may also experience other associated difficulties, including:

  • Trauma-related difficulties

  • Self-harm and risk-taking behaviours

  • Difficulties maintaining relationships

  • Low self-esteem and difficulties with identity

  • Anxiety and depression

  • Dissociation

  • Substance misuse

  • Other complex mental health needs

Every referral is considered individually to understand the person's presentation, risks, physical and mental health needs and treatment goals.

Our Therapeutic Approach

We believe wellbeing involves an authentic understanding of the individual - their experiences, strengths, difficulties and what they want to achieve.

Our therapeutic approach is eclectic and draws on all major evidence-based therapies including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Therapies.

Understanding Eating Difficulties

We recognise that difficulties with food and eating are not always experienced in isolation. For some people, eating behaviours may become connected with emotional adjustments, control, self-worth, and identity. For others, there may be restrictive or avoidant patterns requiring a different therapeutic and clinical approach.

Treatment therefore looks beyond the eating behaviour itself to understand the individual and the wider factors that may be contributing to their difficulties. Physical health and nutritional needs remain an integral part of the individual's overall treatment and recovery.

Where eating difficulties form part of the person's presentation, cognitive domains are foregrounded. Interventions consider the relationship between emotions, thoughts, behaviours, helping the individual develop practical strategies to articulate and understand their distress, positively adjust to strong emotions and reduce reliance on unhelpful behaviours that may have become associated with coping and expressing distress.  

Our programs aim to enable our service users to:

  • Understand patterns and triggers associated with eating

  • Explore the relationship between eating and emotional wellbeing

  • Develop healthier and more sustainable coping strategies

  • Improve emotional regulation

  • Develop a more positive relationship with food and eating

  • Support physical health and nutritional wellbeing

Multidisciplinary Care

Individuals are supported by an experienced Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), bringing together the professional perspectives needed to understand and respond to complex needs.

The team can include:

  • Consultant Psychiatrist

  • Doctors

  • Registered Mental Health and General Nurses

  • Psychologists

  • Occupational Therapists

  • Art Therapist

  • Healthcare and support colleagues

The MDT regularly reviews progress, risk and intervention plans, adapting the individual's care and therapeutic programme to progress as well as changing needs.

Occupational Therapy & Meaningful Activity

We don’t consider Recovery to be simply symptom focused.  Recovery as personal empowerment includes creating opportunities for confidence building and consolidating the necessary skills for life beyond hospital.

Occupational Therapy supports individuals to establish meaningful routines, develop practical coping strategies and participate in activities reflecting their interests and personal goals.

This can include everyday living skills, vocational activity, community engagement and rebuilding confidence in activities that may have become difficult because of their mental health.

More About Recovery

From the point of admission, we work with everyone to identify and agree personal recovery goals based on what they want to achieve during their time with us.

Some of the areas we focus on include:

  • Developing emotional regulation skills

  • Understanding triggers and patterns of behaviour

  • Reducing harmful coping strategies

  • Developing a healthier relationship with food and eating

  • Building confidence and self-esteem

  • Developing and maintaining relationships

  • Increasing independence and everyday living skills

  • Managing risk more positively

  • Preparing for greater independence and community living

Progress is regularly reviewed with the individual using standardised outcome measures, helping the person and their clinical team recognise achievements and identify the next steps in the recovery journey.

Our aim is to support each person towards a life that feels safer, more stable, independent and meaningful.

Planning for Life Beyond Hospital

Discharge isn't something that begins towards the end of the hospital stay.

Planning for the next stage of the person's pathway begins at the point of admission, with a clear focus on what they are working towards and the steps needed to achieve it.

Where appropriate, and with the individual's involvement and consent, we work closely with families, carers, commissioners and community professionals.

This collaborative approach helps ensure progress made during admission can be maintained beyond hospital and that appropriate support is identified for the next stage of recovery.

Referrals

We welcome referrals and enquiries from:

NHS Commissioners • Integrated Care Boards • Mental Health Teams • Health & Social Care Professionals

Every referral is individually assessed by the clinical team to determine whether Southern Hill Hospital can safely and appropriately meet the person's needs and treatment goals.

Contact Us

 

Referrals: 0330 236 8231 
Email: referrals@ihcm.co.uk

Southern Hill Hospital

Cooks Hill
Gimingham
Mundesley
Norfolk
NR11 8ET

W: southernhill.co.uk
T: 0330 159 6158

 
 
 

Southern Hill Hospital is a part of IHCM

Integrated Health Care Management Group (IHCM) is a UK-based health and social care management organisation. IHCM operates and manages a network of hospitals, residential and care homes and supported living services, providing governance, clinical oversight and strategic leadership across the Group. Individual services are registered and regulated through their respective provider organisations, with IHCM providing the management infrastructure and support to deliver safe, high-quality and compassionate care.