Male brain injury

A 16-bed inpatient care and rehabilitation unit for adult men who have an acquired/traumatic brain injury and who experience complex behavioural, psychiatric and emotional difficulties. The unit also contains 4 self-contained 'independent living' flats

Tavener specialises in the admission, stabilisation and treatment of adult men with complex mental health needs and neuropsychiatric diagnoses.

Our patients develop a framework of skills that allow them to re-integrate with their community. From the moment of admission our team focus on individual goal-planning with each patient, and agree on specific behaviours to develop or reduce.

Our 4 self-contained flats further support patient progress by testing their daily living skills, cognition and behavioural management in a safe environment. Patients can then continue their recovery in one of our community settings,The Berkeleys, via slow-stream rehab Althorp, or back in their local area.

Treatment and care

Our therapeutic programme is designed to create an environment where individuals experience success through achievable goals and regular opportunities for learning.

In partnership with patients our MDT construct programmes of enablement that allow progress through our pathways to a place of least restriction, and utilise a full range of psychological and occupational therapy programmes which:

• are highly structured and tailored to the individual
• provide constant guidance and support to reinforce appropriate behaviour and skills
• cater for those with intensive, complex acute needs, as well as those further along their neurobehavioural recovery journey
• are delivered by an extensive full-time team
• offer individual and group therapy experiences
• address functional and behavioural issues such as communication, movement, self-care,dis- inhibition and aggression

The goals of interventions on Tavener are to:

• ensure the safety of the patient and others
• provide a multi-disciplinary assessment of the patient’s strengths and needs
• provide a formulation of the patient’s presenting needs that will inform both risk management and care planning
• create an environment and culture that will offer the maximum opportunities for positive behaviour and optimal achievement of skills
• offer individual and group therapies that will ensure skill development and an enhanced quality of life
• ultimately effect the changes necessary to help the patient move to a less secure setting, through the Care Pathway and where possible, to progress to an environment closer to their own home

Next steps

Our Tavener Discharge Co-ordinator begins discharge planning from the point of admission. Working with our clinical and social work teams they formulate plans and liaise with appropriate case managers to support a smooth transition.

Typically patients will spend 6-12 months on Tavener main unit or ‘Independent Living’ Flats before moving along our care pathway to a less-restrictive environment such as Berkeley Close, or returning to their home area.