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Complex Mental Health & Eating Difficulties Service

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About this service.

Southern Hill Hospital provides specialist inpatient care and therapeutic support for adults with a range of complex mental health needs.

Set within spacious grounds in rural Norfolk, the hospital has separate buildings and units. This enables us to provide therapeutic environments tailored to the needs of the people we support.

Adler Ward

Alder Ward, an eight-bed ward provides a dedicated and supportive environment for adults with complex mental health needs. People may experience difficulties managing strong emotions and relationships alongside challenges with eating and nutritional wellbeing.

Care is trauma-informed and guided by an individual understanding of each person's needs, experiences and goals.

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 needs who may experience emotional distress and difficulties managing strong emotions, alongside challenges relating to eating and nutritional wellbeing.

Our approach looks beyond diagnostic labels. We focus on understanding the person's individual experiences, needs, strengths and goals. This person-centred approach is at the heart of our service.

Every referral is considered individually. We look at the person's mental and physical health, current risks, treatment needs and recovery goals to determine whether we can safely and appropriately support them.

Understanding Eating Difficulties

We recognise that difficulties with food and eating are not always experienced in isolation. For some people, eating behaviours may be connected with emotions, control, self-worth or identity. Others may experience restrictive or avoidant eating patterns that require an individual therapeutic and clinical approach.

Treatment looks beyond eating behaviours to understand the person and the wider factors that may be contributing to their difficulties. Physical health and nutritional wellbeing are considered throughout treatment and recovery.

Where eating difficulties form part of a person's needs, we help them explore the relationship between thoughts, emotions and behaviours. We support people to better understand and communicate their distress, manage strong emotions and develop healthier ways of coping.

Our programmes aim to help people:

  • 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

  • Improve physical health and nutritional wellbeing

    People we support may also experience:

  • 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

  • Multidisciplinary Care

    People are supported by an experienced Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). The team brings together different clinical and professional expertise to understand and respond to each person's needs..

The team includes:

  • Consultant Psychiatrist

  • Doctors

  • Registered Mental Health and General Nurses

  • Psychologists

  • Occupational Therapists

  • Art Therapist

  • Healthcare and support colleagues

The MDT regularly reviews each person's progress, risks and treatment plan. Care and therapeutic interventions can then be adapted as the person's needs change and their recovery progresses.

Psychological therapies and therapeutic approaches

Wellbeing begins with understanding the individual, their experiences, strengths, challenges and what they want to achieve.

Our therapeutic approach draws on a range of evidence-based psychological therapies, including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and cognitive therapies. Approaches are selected according to the individual's needs and treatment goals.

Occupational therapy and meaningful activity

Recovery is about more than managing mental health symptoms. It is also about empowering people to rebuild confidence, develop independence and strengthen the skills they need for life beyond hospital.

Occupational Therapy supports people to establish meaningful routines, develop practical coping strategies and take part in activities that reflect their interests and personal goals.

This can include everyday living skills, vocational activities and community engagement. It can also help people rebuild confidence in activities that may have become difficult because of their mental health.

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

Areas of focus may 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. This helps the person and their clinical team recognise progress and agree the next steps in recovery.

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

Planning for Life Beyond Hospital

Planning for discharge starts at admission, not towards the end of a person's hospital stay. From the beginning, we consider what the person is working towards and the steps needed to help them progress. Where appropriate, and with the person's involvement and consent, we work closely with families, carers, commissioners and community professionals. This helps maintain progress beyond hospital and ensures appropriate support is considered for the next stage of the person's 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. To find out more or make a referral please contact our Central Referrals Team.

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 236 8231

 
 

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 nursing 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.  ihcm.co.uk