Oaktree Ward at Cygnet Hospital Woking is a shining example of how a dedicated multidisciplinary team can transform even the most challenging clinical environments into spaces of recovery, safety and dignity. As an 11-bed female Low Secure Unit supporting women with complex mental health needs, the team consistently delivers exceptional care in circumstances that demand resilience, creativity and compassion.
Operating within a first-floor ward environment with limited access to outdoor space, the team has worked tirelessly to create a therapeutic setting that prioritises emotional safety, collaboration and recovery. Through close partnership with patients and a strong culture of teamwork, Oaktree Ward has developed an environment where patients are empowered to shape their care and influence improvements to the ward itself.
A powerful example of this commitment to therapeutic design is the team’s successful bid for a £30,000 grant to redesign the ward’s seclusion area. Recognising the emotional impact that restrictive environments can have on individuals in crisis, the team ensured the project would be developed through co-production with patients. By embedding lived experience into the design process, the new space aims to support de-escalation, dignity and psychological safety while improving the overall therapeutic quality of the ward.
The team’s commitment to recovery is perhaps best illustrated through their support of a Service user who presented with extreme risk, including prolific self-harm and violence, requiring 4:1 enhanced observations and long-term segregation. Over almost four years, the Oaktree team remained steadfast in their care, demonstrating extraordinary resilience despite numerous incidents and staff injuries. Through structured care planning, collaborative multidisciplinary working and unwavering compassion, the team ultimately supported the individual to transition to a placement closer to her family. She has since begun volunteering in the community and the NHS Learning Disability team formally commended Oaktree Ward for their dedication and compassion throughout this journey.
Oaktree Ward has also demonstrated outstanding partnership working across services. The team successfully supported two women experiencing high-risk pregnancies alongside severe mental illness, working closely with maternity teams and external agencies to ensure safe outcomes for both mothers and their unborn children. These partnerships enabled smooth transitions to specialist Mother and Baby Units while maintaining vital family connections.
Their commitment to holistic, person-centred care extends internationally. The team supported a patient in reconnecting with her family in Nigeria during an eight-week visit by coordinating care with a mental health facility overseas, ensuring continuity of support. In another complex case, the ward successfully repatriated a patient from Canada in critical condition and supported her recovery through compassionate, multidisciplinary care until she was ready for discharge.
Alongside delivering exceptional clinical outcomes, Oaktree Ward actively contributes to education, quality improvement and organisational development. The team supports nursing students, participates in quality improvement initiatives and champions inclusive practice through networks such as the Multicultural Network. Many healthcare support workers have progressed into nursing roles, reflecting a culture that values development and learning.
Their work proves that even in the most complex circumstances, recovery is not only possible, it is achievable.
