- Met with clinicians and service leads
- Discussed collaboration between the NHS, local authorities and independent providers
- Hospital recently rated ‘Good’ across all key assessment areas by CQC
Marie Goldman MP, Liberal Democrat MP for Chelmsford and the party’s Women and Equalities Spokesperson, visited Priory Hospital Chelmsford last week (Friday, 17 October) to meet staff and learn more about services for people with mental health conditions, eating disorders and addictions.
During the visit, Marie toured the hospital’s facilities, met with clinicians and service leads, and discussed how closer collaboration between the NHS, local authorities and independent providers could improve access to care and outcomes for patients.
From left: Louise Griffiths, Director of Strategy and Service Development at Priory; Marie Goldman, Liberal Democrat MP for Chelmsford; and Rob Mardell, Director of Clinical Services at Priory Hospital Chelmsford.
Priory Hospital Chelmsford provides 59 inpatient beds for adults and offers a range of specialist services, including acute mental health treatment, psychiatric intensive care (PICU), eating disorder support and addiction rehabilitation.
The hospital, which was rated ‘Good’ across all five key assessment areas by the Care Quality Commission in an inspection report published on the day of the visit, works in partnership with the NHS to help patients stay closer to home, reducing out-of-area placements and supporting recovery within local communities.
Marie also heard about Priory’s free emotional wellbeing programme for children – a pioneering national resource developed by Priory therapists using evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), mindfulness and coping skills training.
The programme, available to all schools and community groups, helps children build emotional resilience and manage stress.
Colleagues also discussed Priory’s new national campaign, Break the Chain, which raises awareness of the impact of intergenerational addiction and encourages people to seek help before reaching crisis point, and work with national charity Chasing the Stigma.
Marie said: “It’s fantastic to have a service like Priory here in Chelmsford, supporting people with a wide range of mental health needs, both privately and through the NHS.
We need to make sure that support is more connected, making it easier for people to get the help they need, when they need it. Mental health affects so many people and shouldn’t be overlooked. Priory is doing a brilliant job of supporting those who need it.
Louise Griffiths, Director of Strategy and Service Development at Priory, who hosted the visit alongside Rob Mardell, Director of Clinical Services at Priory Hospital Chelmsford, said: “We were delighted to welcome Marie to Chelmsford and share more about our services and the specialist care being provided to patients in the region and beyond.
“It is vital that the system works together to meet the growing demand for mental health and addiction support, and ensure that children and young people have the tools they need to build emotional resilience and wellbeing.
“It is great to have interest and support from MPs like Marie who are advocating for improved services locally and nationally, and we appreciate her help promoting the emotional wellbeing programme for children which will ensure more young people will benefit from the resources available.”
Priory is the UK’s largest independent provider of mental health, addiction and adult social care services, operating more than 270 sites nationwide and caring for over 26,000 people each year.