Exciting new phase for ‘crisis houses’ in Northamptonshire after praise from Prime Minister

Just a few days after the Prime Minister described Northamptonshire’s mental health services as “trailblazing”, exciting plans have been unveiled to transform the county’s innovative ‘crisis houses’.

Last month, during a visit to Northamptonshire, the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, praised Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s mental health services – including its two ‘crisis houses’ – The Warren in Northampton and The Martins in Rushden.

The PM highlighted the innovative work of the ‘crisis houses’ in providing urgent care for people experiencing a mental health crisis. The houses provide safe and ‘homely’ environment where people, over 18 years old, needing urgent support with their mental health can stay for a few days and get round-the-clock support, without needing to go to hospital.

This month, an exciting project will get underway to transform the Trust’s crisis houses to provide more facilities for people with autism, after £240,000 funding was secured from the Government’s Department of Health and Social Care at the end of last year. This includes plans to create a new sensory garden at The Warren, designed as a colourful and comforting space for people with autism who use the facilities, and including a range of aromatic plants and flowers.

Artist’s impressions have been unveiled showing how the garden could look.

Simba Kapishe, Crisis houses manager said: “We’ve seen an increase in people with autism using the service, so we’re really excited to get this funding and creating a more welcoming space which caters for their needs. We know, from the feedback we receive from users of the service, the positive difference the crisis houses make in helping people with their mental health, before it escalates. It is also pleasing that the crisis houses, and the help they provide, have had recognition from the Prime Minister. We have fantastic staff with individual skill sets who can provide 24/7 support for those who stay with us.”

As well as the new sensory garden at The Warren, both crisis houses will benefit from new equipment, including sensory boards, special mirrors, aroma diffusers, bean bags, projectors, sequin boards and more. There will also be new energy-efficient coloured and dimmable lighting.

The project also aligns with the NHS objective that all health and social care services provide reasonable adjustments to enable good quality access to healthcare for autistic people.

The work is expected to be completed in the Spring.

Find out more about NHFT’s crisis houses at www.nhft.nhs.uk/crisis-houses