Southfield

We help people with serious mental illness. Most of our patients will have either committed a criminal offence, or have challenging behaviour.

We admit patients from:

• Medium secure hospitals
• Local psychiatric hospitals
• Prisons
• Courts

You can only be admitted to Southfield if you have been referred to our service.

We accept referrals from consultant psychiatrists in mental health services. We don’t accept referrals directly from primary care (such as your GP) - these referrals should be seen by a consultant psychiatrist first.

We also accept referrals from:  

• Courts   
• Probation Service
• Prison Service
• Solicitors
• Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangement (MAPPA) leads
• Social Services departments

Referrals to Southern Health Adult Forensic Services will need to be submitted through Cambio Patient Flow Manager. Please complete an Access Request Form and email this to the 'For Me Provider Collaborative' (formepc@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk). A log-in to CAMBIO will be created for you and you will be provided with your log-in details and a referral guide.  

If you'd like advice on making a referral, please call 023 82 310800. 

Please click here for further guidance on making a referral to Adult Secure Services.

Mediolegal requests will need to be sent via email to ravenswoodreferrals@southernhealth.nhs.uk

All admissions to Southfield are planned and you will have the opportunity to visit the unit before you're admitted.

Meeting your team
During your treatment at Southfield you will be allocated a primary nurse who will co-ordinate your care and treatment. Your primary nurse will work closely with you, promoting your recovery and the development of your independence. 

Other members of the team (for example occupational therapists) will also introduce themselves within a week of your arrival at the unit. They will arrange to meet with you for an initial assessment within two weeks. However, you will be invited to open groups at occupational therapy from the first day you arrive.

Ward rounds
Ward rounds take place on a Tuesday every three weeks.  This gives you the opportunity to meet with the team and discuss your care and treatment. A Care Programme Approach (CPA) meeting will be arranged for you following admission and then they take place once every six months.

When you first arrive you may be restricted to your ward for a few days. This gives us the opportunity to get to know you quickly.  However, you will be allowed outside in ward courtyard areas to get fresh air with an escort. 

After a while you will be able to go around the unit with an escort and as things progress, you might be allowed around the unit without an escort.  This will depend on risk factors and your current mental health.
  
When things are safe enough, you will be allowed short visits into the hospital grounds with an escort, usually starting at 15 minutes a day.  As things progress you will get more escorted ground leave and then you will move on to unescorted ground leave. 
 
The next progression will be escorted community leave then unescorted community leave.  

If you are a 'restricted' (section 41) patient your team will not be able to give you community leave without permission from the Home Office.

Family and friends are welcome to come and visit you at Southfield. To help ensure that visits are as safe and enjoyable as possible we have to make sure some preparations are made.

All visitors have to be approved by your care team before they will be added to your list of visitors. Visitors can’t come to see you if they’re not on your visiting list. Please discuss with staff about who you would want to visit you. Letting us know as soon as possible will help to avoid any delays.

Children under 18 are not able to visit Southfield. You will need to give 24 hours notice before visiting.

There are some items that visitors cannot bring to the unit, including mobile phones. A full list of prohibited items will be provided to visitors. Visitors will need to leave prohibited items in a secure locker at reception.