8-bed female-only Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

The service required is an 8-bed female-only Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) providing specialist 24-hour inpatient care for adult women (18+) experiencing acute and severe mental illness whose level of risk, behavioural disturbance, or clinical acuity cannot be safely managed within a standard acute mental health ward. The service will serve patients across the Thames Valley footprint and provide rapid assessment, intensive multidisciplinary treatment, enhanced observation, physical healthcare, psychological and trauma-informed interventions, and active discharge planning from admission.
The service must deliver safe, gender-responsive, recovery-focused care within a therapeutic environment, supporting women with complex mental health needs while reducing reliance on out-of-area placements. The provider will be required to demonstrate robust clinical governance, appropriate staffing and skill mix, effective pathway integration, and measurable improvements in patient outcomes, safety, experience, and timely step-down to less intensive services