Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust is preparing to launch its first dedicated NHS psychiatric intensive care unit for women, marking a significant expansion of specialist mental health provision in the region. The 10-bed facility at Littlestone Lodge in Dartford will deliver short-term, intensive support for women experiencing serious mental health difficulties who require enhanced care. According to BBC News, the £4.63m investment represents the first time women in Kent and Medway will have access to this level of specialist care within their local NHS trust.
Dr Afifa Qazi, chief medical officer for the trust, described the opening as a pivotal development. She noted that previously, women needing intensive psychiatric care and support "have not been able to receive this specialist care from our team". The unit is projected to deliver approximately 2,500 bed days of care annually for women, with the first patient expected to arrive towards the end of November.
The development addresses a longstanding gap in local provision. A July 2026 trust board report revealed that in June alone, 203 female psychiatric intensive care bed-days were provided through contracted beds outside the new unit's capacity, highlighting the demand for dedicated local facilities. Before this NHS unit, female psychiatric intensive care was supplied through a contract with Cygnet Healthcare at Godden Green, which included five block beds and two flexible cost-and-volume beds.
What care will the unit provide?
The unit will offer specialist, compassionate care tailored to individual circumstances. Dr Qazi explained the philosophy behind the service:
"This new service means we can now provide specialist, compassionate care at a particularly difficult time in their lives. Our team will take the time to get to know each woman, understand what matters to her and recognise her as a person, not just her mental health needs."
The trust has designed the unit to create a more integrated pathway, enabling women to transition smoothly between hospital wards and community services as their needs evolve. Two of the 10 beds will be available to women referred by other NHS trusts, depending on individual circumstances. The design incorporates input from people with personal experience of mental health services and takes account of sensory needs, including those of women with autism and learning disabilities.
How does this fit into broader mental health expansion?
The new unit extends specialist psychiatric intensive care provision that the trust already delivers for men at Willow Suite, a 12-bed unit at Littlebrook Hospital. This development is part of a wider transformation of mental health services across England. According to the trust's July 2026 report, the unit was due to open in autumn 2026, with the facility nearing completion as of October. A CQC assessment published in October 2026 confirmed the female psychiatric intensive care development was nearing completion and was intended to improve patient flow and reduce out-of-area placements. Nationally, England is establishing nearly 200 new community mental health centres and mental health A&Es by 2029, with some hubs opening in banks and libraries.
What do local leaders say?
Jim Dickson, MP for Dartford, welcomed the investment. He stated that women experiencing serious mental health difficulties deserved "care that treats them with dignity, compassion and an understanding of their individual needs". He added: "I'm pleased to see this new unit open in Dartford. It is an important investment in mental health services for women and their families across Kent and Medway."
What happens next?
The unit is scheduled to welcome its first patient towards the end of November. The trust continues to work towards full operational capacity, with clinical staff recruitment having been completed ahead of patient admissions. The opening will reduce reliance on out-of-area placements, which represented a significant proportion of the trust's overall bed-day usage in recent months.
