York House

Who we support

Many people who come to York House have complex needs, challenging behaviour, mental ill-health and addictions. We help them to manage these alongside their brain injuries.

Some of the people we support are detained under the Mental Health Act so they can safely receive the treatment they need. Other people may be placed at York House under a Deprivation of Liberty order. This is because they don't have the capacity to consent to their care and treatment. We also support people who choose to come to York House for rehabilitation.

What it's like to stay here

A Grade II listed building set in beautiful gardens, York House offers a safe and comfortable temporary home. A short walk from York city centre and parks, we encourage everyone to get out, with the support of staff.

Our facilities include:

• 38 specially adapted bedrooms, with en suites, across three wards
• a women's only ward, with 10 beds
• fresh food to meet a wide range of dietary needs served in the dining room
• a gym with specialist equipment to increase people's movement and function
• occupational therapy kitchens and laundry rooms to support people to relearn life skills such as cooking and cleaning
• an activity room for arts and crafts and music groups
• lounges on each ward to relax or watch television.

The Wolds - Women only ward

The Wolds is York House’s women only ward, a 10 bed service which includes a self assessment flat. This ward allows us to create a space where women can feel comfortable and safe whilst meeting CQC requirements and offers specialist neurobehavioural and neuropsychiatric rehabilitation and holistic support.

Find out more about The Wolds.

How we support people's rehabilitation

A brain injury can affect the way someone behaves – emotionally, physically, socially and cognitively. Our specially designed, evidence-based rehabilitation model combines psychiatry and psychology to help people cope with these challenges and move forward. It includes:

an initial period, of three to four months, where our psychiatrist works closely with someone to help them adjust and feel comfortable at York House
ongoing assessment and rehabilitation to support all areas of a person's recovery. This includes psychiatry, psychology, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy
creating in-depth care plans to guide how we work with someone
supporting people to set goals and outcomes for their rehabilitation using a dedicated system to track progress in someone’s recovery
discharge planning to prepare people for leaving York House.

“I was impressed with the thorough review for the person I’m working with at York House. It gave a great overview of her current presentation, along with how the team has worked with her from the date she was admitted.” – a commissioner who has referred people with brain injuries to York House

"The staff at York house are very understanding, kind and caring. They accommodated my aunty's every need. Her health has improved so much, and I always recommend York House to everyone." Naeem Ahmed, family member of a person who had rehabilitation at York House.

Specialist team

Our highly skilled staff are all experts in their own diverse fields and work together to support people with brain injuries. The team is made up of:

• psychiatrists
• occupational therapists
• physiotherapists
• psychologists
• social workers
• support workers
• nurses
• speech and language therapists
• dietitians
• creative therapists
• independent advocates.

Supporting the work of commissioners

Helping people move forward

It's important to find the right placement for people with brain injuries. We support people who have an acquired brain injury. They may have had a stroke, an accident or undiagnosed health condition, such as diabetes.

Effective rehabilitation

Our diverse support means someone doesn’t need to move to another hospital or rehabilitation centre when their needs change. This makes the transition towards independence easier.

Tailored, person-centred care

Each person is affected differently, so we tailor our care for someone’s individual needs. Some people can be discharged within six months. Others may need longer before being ready to move on. It depends on personal circumstances. Our aim is to support everyone to be as independent as possible.

Leading best practice

We thoroughly assess people with brain injuries as part of the rehabilitation process. This includes providing families and commissioners with a summary of how a brain injury has affected someone.

We are carrying out research to assess how combining neurobehavioural and neuropsychological techniques with compassion-focused therapy can support people with brain injuries.

Measuring progress

Our staff use a number of different ways to measure progress and outcomes. This includes the Therapy Outcome Measure (TOM) tool which assesses how a brain injury affects what someone can do. It monitors changes over time. The tool has been adapted for our work at York House. The Neuropsychiatry+ scale allows the team to monitor someone's full progress, including their mental health and physical wellbeing. This makes efficient use of funding and resources.

We assess progress against four key areas. These are:

1. How much supervision someone needs.

2. The type of accommodation someone needs.

3. How social someone is.

4. Someone's ability to take part in recreational, vocational and occupational activities.

Our staff team are available to speak to commissioners and health professionals about people's progress.

Proven results

In 2020:

• More than six in 10 people (63%) needed less supervision when they left York House.
• 100% of residents improved in at least one area of intervention, as measured by the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory, like social participation.
• 83% of residents’ goals were partially or fully achieved between October and December.

Read more about the impact of The Disabilities Trust's network of brain injury services here

·A support network

York House is part of The Disabilities Trust which has a network of brain injury services across the UK. It has two hospitals, seven assessment and rehabilitation centres, and 32 services in the community which support people with brain injuries to regain the skills they have lost. Some people who come to York House may move onto a more independent home run by The Disabilities Trust.

Involving families

Our staff work closely with families to help them understand the effects of a brain injury on their loved one. We also keep families updated on their progress. We encourage people to visit and keep in touch on the phone or through video calls. A social worker helps families to put the right care in place for their loved one when they leave York House. This supports people with brain injuries to become more independent and settle into their new home.