Our main purpose is to help people with complex mental health issues to live well and independently in the community. We work with people to understand and manage their mental health condition, as well as to develop and practise the skills which are important to live independently. We focus on ‘recovery’, wellbeing as well as good physical health.
The NHS pays for this service, so we have high levels of experienced mental health nurses on duty 24 hours a day. This means that we can help people with very complex needs, which are sometimes compounded by other things such as substance misuse, to move from hospital and secure service settings back into their local communities.
We know that everyone’s recovery ‘journey’ is different, however we also know that, by and large, we all aspire for the following in our lives:
a sense of meaning and purpose
good relationships and supportive social networks
hope for the future and good self-esteem
independence, choice and control
a place in the community and feeling like an active citizen
stability and consistency
We use these aspirations to guide us each day in our work with people, and we aim to help people to rebuild their social network and friendships, as well as maintain and regain life skills.
We know that to flourish in life, you have to take some risks. This is why we work hard with the people that we support, our team, and other professionals to carefully judge what is ‘just enough support’, so that people have the right opportunities to try out new things with the right amount of support.
Where is Briarwood: Mill View?
We are based in Blaydon, Gateshead and are situated in a quiet residential area within easy reach of public transport links and amenities.
What are the facilities like?
Briarwood: Mill View is on the first floor and has space for up to 14 people over three ‘wings’. Our building is well-equipped to meet the physical health care needs of the people we care for, however we work hard to keep things as homely and relaxed as possible. We have a number of separate lounge and dining areas, fully assisted baths and wet rooms.
Families and the people we care for are encouraged to bring in furnishings, pictures, and ornaments for their bedrooms to make it their own.
Who are the team?
Our team of Mental Health Nurses and Support Workers are specialists in rehabilitation and recovery, and are passionate about what they do. We specifically select our staff not just for their skills, but for their personal qualities such as warmth, optimism, and a natural desire to help others.