About the service
Cragside ward is an inpatient dementia assessment and treatment unit based at Gateshead. Cragside ward has 16 single, ensuite bedrooms and aims to provide a comprehensive and holistic assessment of the older person’s physical, psychological, behavioural, social and spiritual needs through validated assessment tools and multidisciplinary working.
Cragside ward has a range of specially trained staff with different roles and expertise which will contribute to care and treatment.
These include:
- Nurses
- Consultant Psychiatrists
- Occupational Therapists
- Psychologists
- Pharmacists
- Speech and Language Therapists
- Dietian
- Physiotherapists
- Healthcare Support Workers
- Activities co-ordinator
The service aims to:
- To provide admission and multidisciplinary assessment of people with an organic mental illness with acute problematic behaviours
- To offer appropriate assessment, treatment and management of people with an organic mental illness, maintaining personal and social competence and encouraging recovery and independence where able
- To assist in the assessment, identification and diagnoses of mental health problems
- To work alongside other departments within Gateshead Health, Adult Social Care, Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHT) and local mental health trusts, as well as other agencies to enhance care
- To ensure all other options of help have been offered within the community, making admission a last resort
- To provide a timely discharge to a placement suitable to meet the needs of the patient once they are deemed fit for discharge
- To provide carer assessments and offer support, education and guidance when required.
Admission and referrals
Patients will be admitted to the ward following assessment by the community or CRHT team. The ward admits patients from within the Gateshead area who have a Gateshead GP but will also accept referrals from other areas.