About this location
Located near picturesque national parkland, Priory Hospital Avesbury House in Edmonton, North London, is a forensic low secure facility for men with mental health needs, who require continuing care and treatment. We have 24 beds which are fully funded by Barnet, Enfield and Haringey NHS Trust (BEH) and specifically by the regional secure unit at Chase Farm Hospital.
Services at a glance
Contact us
Priory Hospital Avesbury House 85 Tanners End Lane Edmonton London N18 1PQ
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Services
Our secure services offer comprehensive support to people with complex mental health needs. We model our service provision on the NHS secure service specification for medium and low secure services, ensuring our patients are given the highest quality of care to enable quick and smooth transitions into local services, wherever possible. We are committed to delivering clinically effective, evidence-based treatment programmes for individuals who require secure care, providing both psychological and physical security.
Ward break down
- 24 beds split across 5 flats
Conditions treated
We are able to support people with:
- Complex mental health needs
- Severe and enduring mental health needs
- Behaviours that challenge
- Psychosis
- Sexual offending behaviour
- Self-harm
- Substance misuse or forensic addictions
We can also support people who present with the following challenges alongside their primary diagnosis:
- A learning disability
- Autism spectrum
- Physical health needs
- Personality disorders
We are able to support people who are detained under the Mental Health Act.
Treatment approaches
At Avesbury House, we offer an individualised, person-centred approach to all of our patients, providing forensic rehabilitation support.
The service places great importance on treatment outcomes, supporting everyone to take responsibility for their own progress. Staff and patients work together to contribute to a successful discharge and the best possible chance of a stable life in the community.
Our main goal of rehabilitation is to allow patients to acquire valuable life skills, and reduce risks to themselves or others. We focus on risk reduction, relapse prevention, independent living skills, social inclusion and vocational engagement.
Our assessment and treatment options are overseen by a full and diverse multidisciplinary team (MDT).
We offer:
- Positive behaviour support (PBS)
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
- Occupational therapy (OT)
- Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
- Mindfulness
- Trauma informed therapy
We are also accredited by the Quality Network for Forensic Mental Health Services (QNFMHS).
Our placements are transitional and medium term, with an average length of stay of between 18 to 24 months. We are also situated close to Chase Farm Hospital.
Our team
Our highly experienced, multidisciplinary team consists of:
- Hospital director
- Clinical director
- Responsible clinician
- Ward managers
- Ward doctors
- Registered mental health nurses
- Healthcare assistants (HCAs)
- Occupational therapist (OT)
- Consultant psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Psychology assistant
- Social workers
- Dysphasia specialist
We also provide specialist staff training, including See, Think, Act: Relational Security training.
Therapeutic and community-based activities
We aim to support patients with a range of therapeutic and community-based activities as part of a full treatment programme. Our aim is to help each patient to become more confident and independent, preparing them to move through their treatment pathway towards community living.
Our therapeutic and community-based activities include:
- Psychology, medical, social and occupational groups, for example, drug and alcohol, sex offenders, life skills
- Opportunity to attend college, the hub, work in paid employment or volunteering
- Gym sessions and access to the gym in Edmonton
- Football group
- Opportunity for self-catering with financial support
- Games nights
- Football in the community
- Going to the cinema, theatres and the seaside
Our facilities and environment
We believe that the environment in which treatment takes place is just as important as the treatment itself, when it comes to supporting our patients.
We provide:
Our garden offers secure fencing, a lawn area and planting areas. Small adaptations to our facilities can be made, depending on need.
Our bedrooms
All of our bedrooms are single-occupancy and have an en-suite bathroom. Patients are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms while they are staying with us. We provide:
Exclusion profile
People under the age of 18.
Pathways
Priory’s network of high-quality facilities enables us to offer joined-up care pathways with our dedicated residential services. We offer programmes which integrate healthcare treatment and therapy, which are tailored according to individual needs, in an appropriate setting. Our strength is that we can provide a seamless transition for the individual as they progress between higher and lower dependency services.
Following their stay with us, we help people to transition to the community under the BEH community forensic team.
A message from our site leader
Avesbury House is the ultimate place for individualised care. We have a major focus on the strength and capabilities of our patients, offering an enabling and empowering environment, delivered through compassion and empathy
Avesbury House site leader
Comments from our patients and their family and friends
When I arrived at Avesbury House, the staff were welcoming and the patients were friendly. The environment was clean. There was opportunity for me to get better and my mental health improved. The doctors were accommodating and allowed me to do things like go on leave to see my family and friends, and go to college. There is a multi-faith room and the garden is available any time for fresh air. There is freshly cooked food twice a day from the on-site chefs. There are activities like pool and table tennis competitions. There are jobs on the ward where patients can get paid
Information for family and friends
How do home visits work?
There are no restrictions on home visits. Almost all of our patients have unescorted access to the community, including their homes.
What is your visitation policy?
We operate an open-door policy and visiting is unrestricted. Our visiting hours are 9am to 9pm.
Will I be involved and kept up to date with my loved one’s care and wellbeing?
We make every effort to keep the loved ones of our residents involved in their care, as long as we have consent from the person staying with us.
Will my loved one be able to have a phone or call me?
All of the people staying with us have mobile phones for receiving and making calls whenever they want to.
What type of things are families expected to provide, and what is provided by the home?
We provide all essentials and basic items.
What are the bedrooms like?
All of our bedrooms are furnished, and people staying with us are supported to personalise them to suit their needs and wishes. They are all single person, en-suite rooms.
Are external doors kept locked?
Yes; exit and entry are controlled by reception. However, every person staying with us will be individually assessed for any risks to see what security is needed.
What do service users eat and how do meal times work?
Provisions for breakfast include cereal, bread, milk, sugar, teabags and coffee. They are available to be collected from the kitchen every morning at around 8am. Lunch is served from the kitchen every day at 12pm and dinner at 5pm. Evening snacks are available every evening at around 8pm. Avesbury House offers a wide selection of healthy options, including low salt/fat/sugar and healthy snacks on a daily basis. Fresh fruit is available at all times in the communal dining room. A cooked breakfast is served on the first Friday of every month at 9.30am. A breakfast club is held twice weekly, where patients are able to participate and cook a variety of healthier options.
How does laundry work?
Every flat has a washing machine and a dryer. There is a central washing machine and dryer as well.
Is there anything they can’t bring or have?
There is a list of restricted and banned items, which is available on request. Restricted items are issued on request, for example, razors. Banned items are not allowed in the unit, for example, drugs and alcohol.
Are pets allowed?
We have pet therapy but individual pets are not allowed in the unit.
How do activities work?
People who stay with us have activities set for them as part of therapy, which is provided by nurses, OTs, psychologists and technical instructors. They are also encouraged and supported to undertake activities that improve their independence. We have on-site activities, such as pool and table tennis, to promote inclusion.
Do service users and families have an input into the service user’s care plans?
People staying with us are consulted and their input and voice is fully reflected in their care plans. Where consent is obtained, families are involved.
What are the car parking facilities?
There is secure car parking on-site.
What is the smoking policy? Can service users buy cigarettes?
There is no smoking on our site. People staying with us can have access to vapes and can use these on our site. They can smoke when they are out on unescorted leave.
How is treatment accessed and funded?
We don’t take referrals directly from individuals and families. Instead, the first step will be for you to reach out to the person’s GP so that they can be referred and funded through the correct NHS channel. Depending on the type of support needed, this could include local authority funding, NHS funding, joint funding between the local authority and NHS, or direct payments. Please note, referrals for NHS or local authority funded services must come from a referring organisation.
How to make a referral
Our customer service centre provides 24/7 support for NHS mental health enquiries and referrals. Our customer referral co-ordinators can support you from your first call right through to the enquiry conclusion, providing updates throughout the process. We offer 24/7 crisis referrals, fast access to bed availability and placements, and a single access point for end-to-end enquiry management.