Kent and Medway to Open First NHS Intensive Mental Health Unit for Women

Women experiencing severe mental health difficulties in Kent and Medway will be able to receive specialist intensive care locally following a £4.63 million NHS investment.

The new 10-bed psychiatric intensive care unit at Littlestone Lodge in Dartford will provide short-term treatment and enhanced support for women whose needs cannot be managed safely on a standard mental health ward. It is expected to welcome its first patient towards the end of November.

The unit is the first NHS facility of its kind specifically for women in Kent and Medway. It is expected to provide around 2,500 days of inpatient care each year, potentially reducing the need for women to be placed in specialist services outside the area and away from their families and existing care teams.

Care will be provided through a joined-up pathway intended to support women as they move between intensive treatment, general hospital wards and community mental health services. Two of the beds will also be available for referrals from other NHS trusts where appropriate.

People with personal experience of mental health services helped shape the facility. Its design takes account of different sensory needs, including those of women with autism or learning disabilities, and aims to provide a calmer and more therapeutic environment.

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust already operates a 12-bed psychiatric intensive care unit for men at Littlebrook Hospital. The new Dartford unit extends that specialist NHS provision to women for the first time.

Stay informed with the stories shaping health and social care.

Register with The Daily Round for the latest sector news, inspections & reports, wellbeing content, workforce insights, expert features and practical updates—delivered free to your inbox.