Springbank

 Springbank will accept referrals for women between the ages of 18 and 65 years who:

• Have a primary diagnosis of emotionally unstable personality disorder (ICD-10 F60.3).
• Are under the care of a psychiatric community team with an identified care coordinator and a responsible clinician. The responsible clinician may not be the care co-ordinator. The patient will remain under the community team whilst being an inpatient at Springbank.
• Have tried but failed to benefit from general acute and community psychiatric services.
• Are willing to be assessed for admission by the staff at Springbank ward.
• Have a permanent place of residence.
• Are able to identify goals they would like to work on whilst being an in-patient.
• Referrals are accepted for women, informal or detained under the Mental Health Act, from acute mental health staff, acute medical services, forensic or prison services, community and other NHS and private mental health providers.

The unit is unable to take service users who:

• Pose a significant risk of harm to others
• Require management in a low or medium secure unit
• Are unwilling to engage with the therapeutic programme

Any referral queries should be sent to CPFTSpringbankReferrals@cpft.nhs.uk

If we feel that the patient would benefit from an admission, she will be invited to visit the ward. This is important to allow the patient to make an informed decision as to whether coming to Springbank is something they would be interested in. It is also part of the planning process to ensure a smooth transition into the ward.

What to expect on admission: 

• An admission date will be set following the patient’s visit.
• The patient’s care coordinator will need to forward up-to-date CPA and risk assessment documentation prior to transfer to the ward. Until these documents are received, Springbank will not be able to accept the transfer of the patient.
• Throughout the patient’s admission, we expect regular visits from the referring team. It is a requirement that the patient retains an active, named care coordinator in the community with whom the ward and patient can liaise and communicate with regarding progress. This includes management of periods of leave within the community with support from community staff, arrangements for travel to and from the home area, and general support by the community team during periods of leave.
• Springbank Ward will work closely with the referring team throughout the care planning process and will start to discuss discharge planning as soon as the person is admitted to the ward.

Please complete the referral form attached at the bottom of the page under further information tab and send it to CPFTSpringbankReferrals@cpft.nhs.uk alongside any other relevant documentation such as CPA documentation, care plans, risk assessments, and discharge summaries.

• Please complete the funding agreement form attached at the bottom of the page under further information tab and forward to cpftcontractsteampriorapproval@cpft.nhs,uk or cpm-tr.contractsteampriorapproval@nhs.net 
• Once the forms above have been completed, please call us on 01223 219484 to arrange an assessment date. The patient will normally be assessed by the Consultant on the ward and a member of the nursing team.
  
  
• Springbank tariff sheet Nov 2025.pdf 1MB
• REFERRAL FORM FOR SPRINGBANK WARD.docx 67KB
• Springbank Prior Approval Process DEC 2025.docx [docx] 52KB

A carer is anyone, including children and adults who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they give is unpaid.

At Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, we value the often life-long support carers provide and recognise them as equal care partners. We want to offer as much guidance and reassurance as possible, to help you in your caring role. You can find general information and support for adult carers, young carers and parent carers by following this link. 

We understand that many of you, family and carers, will have had little to no support when your loved one has been in hospital or cared for in the community.

Here at Springbank, comprehensive support is offered to carers to ensure they feel informed, confident, and supported in their role while caring for loved ones at home. This support includes a range of practical, emotional, and educational resources including DBT skills designed to strengthen carers’ wellbeing and enhance the quality of care they can provide.

Key areas of support include:

• Welcome e-mail:
  New carers receive a warm welcome email with a welcome pack for carers that introduces available services, key contacts, and what to expect from the carers' leads.
• Carer’s assessment:
  Carers are offered a dedicated assessment to identify their individual needs, challenges, strengths, and the type of support that will benefit them most.  If you are out of hour this may be us signposting you to the right team.
• Weekly “skill of the week” e-mails:
  These e-mails provide the DBT skill overview that has been taught on the ward that week. These e-mails will be sent all 52 weeks of the year.
• Monthly carers' meetings:
  Regular meetings give carers an opportunity to share experiences, receive updates, learn new information, and connect with others in similar situations.  These take place on Microsoft Teams on the last Monday evening of every month. We understand life can get in the way and for some, a long journey, so we have adapted to make this support group accessible to all.
• Monthly support calls:
  Carers receive monthly check‑in calls to discuss concerns, offer reassurance, and provide guidance tailored to current needs. During this we will also ask for you to complete a carer survey that are questions about the care and support you and your loved one receive from our service. All feedback is welcome.
• 24/7 staff support:
  Staff are available around the clock to offer advice or assistance when urgent support is required, ensuring carers never feel alone or unsupported.

Providing strong and consistent support to carers is essential to helping loved ones remain safely and comfortably at home. When carers feel equipped, valued, and supported, they are better able to maintain their own wellbeing while delivering high‑quality care. This holistic approach benefits both the carer and the person they look after.

“I would like to extend a special thanks to Lauren and Sarah for the incredible support they have provided to our family during the carers’ meetings. The way they interact with families is truly remarkable. They have a unique ability to bring people together, to create a sense of community, and to provide support from a distance. These meetings have been a lifeline for us, offering guidance, understanding, and a safe space to share our experiences. I cannot overstate how much of a positive impact this has had on our family.”

(Feedback from a carer)

Ward programme

We offer a structured ward programme of therapeutic activities and evidence-based interventions that run Monday-Friday 9-5. We encourage those on the programme to aim to attend at least 70% of groups on the ward. Service-users are encouraged to get involved in planning and leading on activities with staff support.

Ward environment

We take every measure possible to make the ward environment as pleasant as possible. Each service-user has their own en-suite bathroom. We allow each service-user to personalise and decorate their room. We also have a dining room on the ward with storage and fridge-freezer space for each service-user. There are several communal areas on the ward and a spacious garden with sensory features.

Off the ward, we also have a sensory room, a crafts room, laundry room and an ADL kitchen. There is also an area for service-users to store items that they feel unsafe to keep in their room. We do not restrict items and instead place responsibility on service-users to work with staff to manage urges or self-harm.

Nursing input

All service users will have an allocated primary nurse who will be responsible in coproducing an individualised care plan around the needs and goals of an individual and will work to ensure that these are actioned and developed. Nurses on Springbank aim to work in a holistic manner to ensure ongoing assessment of both physical and mental health needs as well as continuous monitoring and management of risk to uphold the least restrictive practice model, utilising a DBT approach through skills coaching to support this. One-to-one support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy offers you a chance to identify the things that are important to you and build skills and resources to engage in these more independently and effectively.

Occupational Therapy involves both one-to-one and group sessions and forms part of the ward programme working on life skills, personal goals and activities in the community. 

Psychology

Psychological therapies are available to all patients on the ward. Therapy sessions offer a safe, supportive space to talk one-to-one with a psychologist. Together, you can explore your thoughts, emotions and behaviours at a pace that feels comfortable, including how past experiences may be influencing life now. The focus is on understanding patterns, strengthening a sense of safety and control, and developing skills and coping strategies that support healing and help you move towards the life you want to live.

Available within our hospital site

Service-users are also able to access physiotherapy (including a gym onsite), music therapy and arts therapies and chaplaincy.