Derbyshire Healthcare opens new mental health facility in latest stage of Making Room for Dignity programme
East Midlands Alliance partner, Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, has opened a new, state of the art mental health facility - The Carsington Unit, based on the Kingsway Hospital site in Derby. The unit provides services for 54 working-age adults offering individual en-suite rooms and a range of modern, therapeutic facilities, aiding patient experience and supporting the recovery of those with mental health needs.
This is the third of six new or refurbished facilities being completed as part of Derbyshire Healthcare's Making Room for Dignity programme, which will remove all dormitory-style accommodation to completely revamp mental health inpatient facilities across Derbyshire.
Mark Powell, Chief Executive at Derbyshire Healthcare, celebrated: This is a huge milestone in our commitment to continue to improve the lives of those in our care in Derbyshire and I am confident the Carsington Unit will be one of the best mental health facilities in the country.
The opening of this highly anticipated development will help the Trust to deliver long-awaited and transformative care to the people of Derbyshire for years to come.
Not only have we had positive feedback from patients but also those visiting the site, such as carers and colleagues, who feel optimistic around patient recovery and reducing the length of stay.
Alongside the Carsington Unit, the programme's other two new builds are the Derwent Unit, a 54-bed unit at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital site, which opened on 18 March; and Kingfisher House, a psychiatric intensive care unit for male patients located at Kingsway Hospital in Derby, due to open this summer.
The programme also includes three refurbishment projects including Bluebell Ward, a ward for older adults with acute mental health needs based at Walton Hospital in Chesterfield (which opened on 7 January 2025); Audrey House Enhanced Care Unit for women at Kingsway Hospital, Derby (due to open later this year), and the Radbourne Unit, at the Royal Derby Hospital (works commenced in June). 
The newly refurbished Bluebell Ward - which is situated at Walton Hospital site in Chesterfield - provides mental healthcare for 12 older adults with acute mental health needs. The service has been transferred from the mixed-age Hartington Unit, which had dormitory-style accommodation. Each service user has their own en-suite bedroom and control over their environment, with the ability to adjust the lighting and temperature to suit their needs. The new facilities also provide greater access to outdoor and green spaces, promoting the benefits of therapeutic activity.
His Majesty's (HM) Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Elizabeth Fothergill CBE, led a celebration for the official opening on 23 May. Mrs Fothergill praised the importance of having a ward which reflects the needs of older adults with mental health needs in the north of the county.
Mrs Fothergill said: It's been an honour to meet so many people who have been involved in the creation of this wonderful new ward and it's fantastic that we now have a specific older adult acute mental health facility in the north of the county. I understand that this wouldn't have been possible without the hard work and commitment of so many.
Selina Ullah, Trust Chair at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, was enthusiastic about the recent development at the opening of the event, describing the new site as a significant moment not only in Trust history but also for Derbyshire as a whole.