Published on: 22 July 2025
Today (22 July 2025) Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust officially opened Kingfisher House, the first cutting-edge mental health facility in Derbyshire, designed to support males with acute mental health needs.
Kingfisher House, based on the Kingsway Hospital site, provides a 14-bedded male Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) providing intensive care for men experiencing acute mental health crises who require a higher level of support than an acute setting.
This is the next development of the six facilities to be completed as part of Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Making Room for Dignity programme, which will remove all dormitory-style accommodation to completely revamp the mental health inpatient facilities in Derbyshire. Kingfisher House adjoins the new Carsington Unit, a 54-bed mental healthcare facility for working-age adults, which allows for easier ‘step-down care’ as service users' health improves.
The opening of Kingfisher House means service users can now receive the care they need closer to home, improving continuity of care and reducing the stress of being treated far from family and support networks.
Mark Powell, Chief Executive at Derbyshire Healthcare, commended all those involved in the making of this unit. He said: “The opening of Kingfisher House is a proud moment for the Trust and a vital step forward in our mission to end inappropriate out of area placements.
“Until now, Derbyshire was one of the only regions in England without a local Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit. This meant that men in acute mental health crisis requiring intensive care had to be placed in facilities outside the county – often far from their families and support networks.
“This not only disrupted continuity of care but also added emotional and logistical strain on service users and their loved ones. Kingfisher House directly addresses this gap, enabling people to receive the right care, closer to home.”
Selina Ullah, Trust Chair, praised the new patient care improvements, describing it as “an important milestone for the Trust and Derbyshire as a whole”. She said: “This is a transformative improvement in the mental health care we provide in Derbyshire. The co-location of Kingfisher House adjoining the Carsington Unit helps to support a more integrated and person-centred approach to mental health care.
“This new facility will ensure that some of our most unwell service users can receive the support they need without having to leave Derbyshire. Through providing a local Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit, the Trust is addressing a long-standing inequality in service provision. This is especially important in a rural and geographically dispersed county like Derbyshire, where travel to distant facilities can be a barrier to timely and effective care.
“A huge thank you to those involved in making this all possible – your efforts have not gone unnoticed and thanks to you Derbyshire now has its first Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit for patients to reap the benefits.”
The development of Kingfisher House was informed by national guidance and local demand, with an average of 14 men previously being supported out of area at any one time. The new unit is expected to significantly reduce out-of-area placements and improve outcomes for service users and their families.
The Trust collaborated extensively with service users, carers, and staff throughout the design and development process to ensure the new unit adheres to the highest standards of care, safety and dignity.
Les Ralph, a member of the EQUAL Forum at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which is a forum for those with lived experience and their carers, also shared his thoughts.
He said: “To have Kingfisher House – a dedicated Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit right here in Derbyshire – is a huge step forward. For years, we’ve had to send people out of area for this level of support, which can be incredibly distressing for both service users and their families. The EQUAL Network is proud to see this long-standing need finally met, and we thank everyone who helped make it a reality.”
Jose Rodgers, a member of the Derbyshire Mental Health Carers Community Forum for Chesterfield & North Derbyshire at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which is a self-help group of mental health carers and ex-carers holding forum meetings and support groups at various locations throughout Derbyshire.
She said: “Being able to have a loved one stay closer to home while receiving care will make a huge difference to those who are severely unwell, especially in terms of their recovery which will ultimately have a positive effect on their length of stay. This will help to alleviate anxiety around care plans and better keep a patient’s loved ones informed.”
Alongside Kingfisher House, the programme's other two new builds are the Carsington Unit, 54-bed unit at the Kingsway Hospital in Derby, which opened on 29 May; and the Derwent Unit, a 54-bed unit at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital site, which opened on 18 March.
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, Derby (due to open later this year), and the Radbourne Unit, at the Royal Derby Hospital.
To learn more about the Making Room for Dignity Programme, please visit the projects webpage.
