About this location
Priory Hospital Bristol offers level 2 rehabilitation, acute, psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) and eating disorder services, to adult males and females.
We are an ideal place for treating patients with complex disorders, including those who may not have responded to previous treatment, and we can guarantee that our comprehensive treatment programmes are guided by the very latest psychological research.
Priory’s acute and PICU services aim to allow more people to be treated closer to home and we support the NHS to repatriate out-of-area patients back to local areas.
Services at a glance
Contact us
Priory Hospital Bristol Heath House Lane Stapleton Bristol BS16 1EQ
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Services
Our comprehensive rehabilitation services provide support for people with complex mental health needs. We align our services with the recommendations of the Joint Commissioning Panel for Mental Health (JCPMH), ensuring our patients are given the highest quality care to enable an appropriate transition back home or into community services, wherever possible.
We strive to deliver patient-centred, holistic care in order to support our patients to become more independent. Our culture of excellence and quality, alongside our safe, secure and caring environment, allows us to do this.
Ward break down
Hillside Ward – 14-bedded, level 2 ward for males and females
Conditions treated
We are able to support people with:
- Severe and enduring mental health needs
- Personality disorders
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Psychosis
- Self-harm
- Substance misuse
- Neuropsychiatric needs
- Dementia
We can also support people who present with the following challenges alongside their primary diagnosis:
- A learning disability
- Autism
- Physical disabilities
- Sexual offending
We are able to support people who are detained under the Mental Health Act (MHA).
Treatment approaches
At Bristol, we offer an individualised, person-centred approach to all of our patients. Our main goal is to improve the confidence and quality of life of the people staying with us, allowing them to step down successfully into the community.
Our assessment and treatment options are overseen by a full and diverse multidisciplinary team (MDT).
We offer:
- Positive behaviour support (PBS)
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Cognitive analytic therapy (CAT)
- Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
- Occupational therapy (OT)
- Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
- Interpersonal therapy (IPT)
- Music therapy
- Art therapy
- Mindfulness
- Family therapy
- Trauma informed therapy
- Community focused rehabilitation
People within our service can stay with us on a short-term, transitional or long-term basis, depending on individual needs.
Our team
Our team consists of:
- Consultant psychiatrist
- Specialty doctor
- Registered nurses - mental health and general adult
- Healthcare assistants
- Physiotherapist
- Speech and language therapist (SaLT)
- Music and art therapist
- Dietitian
- Psychologist
- Occupational therapist (OT)
- OT assistant
- Fitness instructor
- Social worker
- Activities co-ordinator
- Assistant psychologist
- Visiting GP
- Visiting pharmacist
Therapeutic and community-based activities
We offer a range of therapeutic and community-based activities as part of a full treatment programme. We want to support people to become more confident and independent, preparing them to move through their treatment pathway towards community living.
Our therapeutic and community-based activities include:
- Fitness activities
- OT support
- Community activities
- Real work opportunities for patients to develop their skills working on-site
- Gardening
- Faith-based celebration days
- Wellbeing walks
- Patient donation shop
Our facilities and environment
We believe that the environment in which treatment takes place is just as important as the treatment itself, when it comes to supporting our patients. We provide:
Our garden offers secure fencing, a patio area with furniture, a lawn, a shelter, sensory items and planting areas. We also have specialised equipment within the hospital, such as sensory lighting, bean bags, interactive walls, adjustable kitchen counter tops, hoists and height-adjustable baths, for people to use.
Our bedrooms
All of our bedrooms are single-occupancy and have an en-suite bathroom. Patients are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms while they are staying with us. We provide:
Exclusion profile
- People under the age of 18
Pathways
Priory’s network of high quality facilities enables us to offer joined-up care pathways with our dedicated residential services. We offer programmes which integrate healthcare treatment and therapy, which are tailored according to individual needs, in an appropriate setting. Our strength is that we can provide a seamless transition for the individual as they progress between higher and lower dependency services.
People in our R&R service are supported to step down into the community, whenever possible.
Our acute services offer round-the-clock assistance in times of emergencies. Our specialist inpatient acute teams are committed to providing the highest quality of care, supporting patients with a wide range of mental health conditions in safe and highly therapeutic environments.
Ward break down
- 33-bedded hospital, split across 3 wards, male and female
Conditions treated
We are able to support people with:
- Complex mental health needs
- Autism
- Personality disorders
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Psychosis
- Self-harm
- Substance misuse
- Schizophrenia
- Violence and aggression
We can also support people who present with the following challenges alongside their primary diagnosis:
- Sexual offending
- Mild to moderate physical disabilities
We are able to support informal patients or those detained under the MHA.
Treatment approaches
At Bristol, we offer an individualised, person-centred approach to all of our patients. Our aim is to successfully support people from admission to discharge, developing treatment and care plans to enable them to fulfil their potential in the community
Our assessment and treatment options are overseen by a full and diverse MDT.
We offer:
- PBS
- CAT
- DBT
- OT
- ACT
- IPT
- Music therapy
- Art therapy
- Mindfulness
- Family therapy
- Trauma informed therapy
- Fitness sessions
- Medically assisted withdrawal
People within our acute service can stay with us on a short-term or transitional basis, depending on their needs.
Our team
Our team consists of:
- Registered nurses - mental health and learning disability
- Healthcare assistants
- Consultant psychiatrists
- Specialty doctors
- Psychologists
- Assistant psychologists
- OTs
- OT assistants
- Fitness instructors
- Holistic therapy practitioners
- Yoga instructors
- Activities co-ordinator
- Social worker
Therapeutic and community-based activities
We offer a range of therapeutic and community-based activities as part of a full treatment programme. We want to support people to become more confident and independent, preparing them to move through their treatment pathway towards community living.
Our therapeutic and community-based activities include:
- Fitness activities
- OT support
- Community activities
- Real work opportunities for patients to develop their skills working on-site
- Gardening
- Faith-based celebration days
- Wellbeing walks
- Patient donation shop
- Wellbeing service
Our facilities and environment
We believe that the environment in which treatment takes place is just as important as the treatment itself, when it comes to supporting our patients. We provide:
Our garden offers a patio area with furniture, a lawn, a shelter, sensory items, multi sports equipment and planting areas. We also have specialised equipment within the hospital, such as sensory rooms and lighting, bean bags, interactive walls and adjustable kitchen counter tops, for people to use.
Our bedrooms
All of our bedrooms are single-occupancy and have an en-suite bathroom. Patients are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms while they are staying with us. We provide:
Exclusion profile
People under the age of 18.
Pathways
Priory’s network of high quality facilities enables us to offer joined-up care pathways with our dedicated residential services. We offer programmes which integrate healthcare treatment and therapy, which are tailored according to individual needs, in an appropriate setting. Our strength is that we can provide a seamless transition for the individual as they progress between higher and lower dependency services.
People can transition to our acute service from our on-site PICU service, where appropriate. We can then facilitate pathways from our acute service into our R&R service, when people are ready.
Priory is the UK's largest independent provider of adult eating disorder services and we pride ourselves on offering quality, personalised treatment for every person we support.
Lotus Ward is a place of hope and healing, where people are offered holistic care and treatment to help them challenge the symptoms of their eating disorder and associated conditions. On Lotus Ward, people are empowered to recover in a collaborative and compassionate environment so that, on discharge, they not only have a healthier body, but skills to help them live a more fulfilling life.
Ward break down
- Lotus Ward – 10-bedded ward for males and females with an eating disorder
Conditions treated
We are able to support people with:
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia nervosa
- Binge eating disorder (BED)
- Other specified feeding or eating disorders
We can also support people with the following challenges alongside their primary eating disorder diagnosis:
- Acute mental health needs
- Physical health needs
- Autism
We are able to support informal patients or those detained under the MHA.
Treatment approaches
At Bristol, we offer an individualised, person-centred approach to all of our patients. Our aim is to successfully support patients to integrate back into their community.
We specialise in percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and nasogastric (NG) feeding and we are also developing a service line to support neurodiverse people, and people with neurophysical needs.
We are also accredited by the Quality Network for Eating Disorders (QED).
Our assessment and treatment options are overseen by a full and diverse MDT.
We offer:
- PBS
- CBT
- CAT
- DBT
- OT
- ACT
- IPT
- Music therapy
- Art therapy
- Mindfulness
- Family therapy
- Trauma informed therapy
People within our service tend to stay with us on a short-term, transitional or long-term basis, depending on individual needs.
Our team
Our team consists of:
- Ward manager
- Deputy ward managers
- Senior nurses
- Nurses
- Physical health nurse
- Healthcare assistants
- Consultants psychiatrists
- Specialty doctors
- Psychologists
- Assistant psychologists
- OT
- OT assistants
- Psychotherapists and counsellors
- Fitness instructors
- Holistic therapy practitioners
- Yoga instructors
- Activities co-ordinator
- Physiotherapist
- Dietitian
- Social worker
Therapeutic and community-based activities
We offer a range of therapeutic and community-based activities as part of a full treatment programme. We want to support people to become more confident and independent, preparing them to move through their treatment pathway towards community living.
Our therapeutic and community-based activities include:
- Fitness activities and access to gym equipment, with supervision
- OT support
- Community activities
- Real work opportunities for patients to develop their skills working on-site
- Gardening
- Faith-based celebration days
- Wellbeing walks
- Patient donation shop
- Wellbeing service
- Graded exposure in the community
Lotus Ward has a specific care pathway designed for eating disorder patients who are also neurodivergent.
Our facilities and environment
We believe that the environment in which treatment takes place is just as important as the treatment itself, when it comes to supporting our patients. We provide:
Our garden offers secure fencing, a patio area with furniture, a lawn, a shelter, sensory items and planting areas. We also have specialised equipment within the hospital, such as sensory rooms and lighting, bean bags, interactive walls and adjustable kitchen counter tops, for people to use.
Our bedrooms
All of our bedrooms are single-occupancy and have an en-suite bathroom. Patients are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms while they are staying with us. We provide:
Exclusion profile
- People under the age of 18
Pathways
Priory’s network of high quality facilities enables us to offer joined-up care pathways with our dedicated residential services. We offer programmes which integrate healthcare treatment and therapy, which are tailored according to individual needs, in an appropriate setting. Our strength is that we can provide a seamless transition for the individual as they progress between higher and lower dependency services.
Our PICU services have been designed to support people in a severe phase of illness, who cannot be managed in acute services. Our dedicated PICU services place us at the forefront of specialised intensive care, and our highly trained teams can support people with complex needs and challenging behaviours, along with co-existing issues (such as substance misuse).
Ward break down
Purdown Ward – 10-bedded ward for males
Conditions treated
We are able to support people with:
- Complex mental health needs
- Autism
- Personality disorders
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Psychosis
- Self-harm
- Substance misuse
- Schizophrenia
- Violence and aggression
We can also support people who present with the following challenges alongside their primary diagnosis:
- A moderate learning disability
- Physical disabilities
We are able to support informal patients or those detained under the MHA.
Treatment approaches
At Bristol, we offer an individualised, person-centred approach to all of our patients. Our aim is to help to stabilise the people who are staying with us and allow them to be discharged successfully into onward treatment.
Our assessment and treatment options are overseen by a full and diverse MDT.
We offer:
- PBS
- CBT
- CAT
- DBT
- OT
- ACT
- IPT
- Music therapy
- Art therapy
- Mindfulness
- Family therapy
- Trauma informed therapy
People within our service tend to stay with us on a short-term and transitional basis.
Therapeutic and community-based activities
We offer a range of therapeutic and community-based activities as part of a full treatment programme. We want to support people to become more confident and independent, preparing them to move through their treatment pathway towards community living. Activities include:
- Cooking
- Baking and coffee mornings
- Walking and community trips
- Board games
- Quizzes
- Gardening
- Music
- Pool
- Table tennis and exercise classes
- Mindfulness and coping strategies
Our team
- Registered nurses - mental health and learning disability
- Healthcare assistants
- Consultant psychiatrist
- Specialty doctor
- Psychologist
- Assistant psychologist
- OT
- OT assistant
- Fitness instructor
- Activities co-ordinator
- Social worker
- Music therapist
Our facilities and environment
We believe that the environment in which treatment takes place is just as important as the treatment itself, when it comes to supporting our patients. We provide:
Our two gardens offer secure fencing, a patio area with furniture, a lawn, a shelter, sensory items and planting areas. We also have specialised equipment within the hospital, such as sensory rooms and lighting, and bean bags, for people to use. We also have two lounges.
Our bedrooms
All of our bedrooms are single-occupancy and have an en-suite bathroom. Patients are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms while they are staying with us. We provide:
Exclusion profile
- People under the age of 18
Pathways
Priory’s network of high quality facilities enables us to offer joined-up care pathways with our dedicated residential services. We offer programmes which integrate healthcare treatment and therapy, which are tailored according to individual needs, in an appropriate setting. Our strength is that we can provide a seamless transition for the individual as they progress between higher and lower dependency services.
When they are ready, people within our PICU service can transition to our on-site acute service.
A message from our site leader
We take pride in supporting our patients to be at the centre of their care and treatment. Our experienced and empathic teams work with their patients to engage in the best treatment available, supporting them to achieve sustainable positive change. We care about our patients and their families, each other and the work we do.
Comments from our patients and their family and friends
I really cannot express my gratitude to you and the work you do for the change in my life. I often find myself repeating things I learned with you, both in my internal dialogue and in support of others. You are really supportive, caring, reassuring and honest - you genuinely want what is best for us. Consistently amazing. I want to recognise the excellent care I received on the ward. Thank you for your kindness, understanding and compassion
It is time for me to embark on my next adventure; the pursuit of my purpose and reaffirming my autonomy as a healthy adult. My time at Lotus (…) has been the most profound experience of my 24 years of living. Thank you for seeing me. Seeing more than the lost cause and revolving door patient I was often described as. You have taught me to be brave, to be strong, to have hope, to simply be me.
These opportunities of connection have allowed me to learn to trust, given me examples of how to be a healthy adult, given me a space to discover myself, and (…) finally embrace my authenticity due to the nurture, consistency, validation and encouragement you provided.
You showed me that people can be reliable and will show up. You showed me that people believe in me and are proud of my existence. You allowed me to find the courage and strength to realise that I can and will heal.
In this vast institution where paths intertwine, we watched our fellow embark on their next chapter, as they shine. They have left their mark, leaving their wisdom and kindness as they opened up our hearts. Now beginning to learn how to exist apart. So thank you to the people who supported us through this difficult departure. For a dedicated team of staff paved the way towards our surrender. You offered solace as tears filled our eyes. Navigating through the maze of emotions, your presence a comforting guise. Your patience and understanding is an unwavering force. Filling us with gratitude for showing us endless compassion alongside boundless support. There we say our thanks for encouraging us in this journey of growth whilst holding down the fort.
Inside Priory Hospital Bristol NHS Services
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Information for family and friends
How do home visits work?
We support people who are staying with us to attend family events and visit home. We will work with them and their relatives to ensure possible risks are managed and that everyone is supported. Each visit forms part of an individualised treatment plan and is formed and devised with patients and their families. This is reviewed and updated regularly.
What is your visitation policy?
Visits are booked with the person who is staying with us and the ward team. We can support visits throughout the week and on a case-by-case basis over weekend. Unfortunately, we cannot cater for visitors to stay overnight, however, there are a number excellent hotels close to the hospital.
Will I be involved and kept up to date with my loved one’s care and wellbeing?
Yes - we strive to keep the loved ones of our patients involved in their care. You will be invited to regular meetings at the hospital, where you will meet with your loved one’s care team and hear about recent happenings at the service. We can also arrange more regular catch-ups if you’d prefer, either in person or via telephone, to ensure you are kept informed.
Will my loved one be able to have a phone or call me?
Our hospital has incoming phone lines, and there are phones at various points around the hospital which can be used at any time. In addition, we can support people who are staying with us to use their own mobile phone, where appropriate and risk assessed.
What type of things are families expected to provide, and what is provided by the home?
We do not expect families to provide anything.
What are the bedrooms like?
Bedrooms are all furnished, and people who are staying with us are supported to personalise them to suit their needs and wishes. However, some of the furniture has been purchased to suit the needs of the service specification and some of it is fitted, and therefore cannot be removed. Family members can provide additional items, where appropriate.
Are external doors kept locked?
Yes - external gates are locked, however, everyone staying with us will be risk assessed which will detail the level of security needed. We have a large garden area and courtyard where access is granted on a case-by-case basis.
What do service users eat and how do meal times work?
We have a catering team who prepare meals three times a day, and snacks are available at all times. People staying with us are supported to choose what they want to eat at mealtimes; there is always a choice available, as well as easy-read menus. Our team will also seek guidance from family members and nutritionists to ensure that special dietary requirements are catered for.
How does laundry work?
Our team will ensure that everyone always has access to clean clothes and bedding. We have industrial laundry facilities on-site, which our team will take care of. People staying with us are able to wash their own clothing, and support can be provided when required.
Is there anything they can’t bring or have?
We would ask that people do not bring valuables such as family heirlooms to our hospital, as we cannot guarantee their safety. We may place restrictions on some items where the risks cannot be appropriately managed, including things like scissors, medications and razors. A conclusive list of banned and restricted items will be provided prior to admission to the hospital.
Are pets allowed?
Unfortunately, people’s pets are not allowed at the hospital. However, we do have therapy animals on-site.
How do activities work?
Everyone will meet with an activities planner and develop an individual activities plan. Group and one-to-one activities will be provided throughout the week.
Do service users and families have an input into the service user’s care plans?
We work with healthcare professionals, family members and the people staying with us to develop care plans which are in their best interests. We use a variety of communication tools and work with health professionals to aid each person in having a say about every aspect of their care. Care plans are regularly reviewed, and family members will be asked for their input.
What are the car parking facilities?
There is free car parking on-site.
What is the smoking policy? Can service users buy cigarettes?
Priory Hospital Bristol is a non-smoking site. However, we can support people staying with us to access nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). There is also a designated smoking area that can accessed.
How is treatment accessed and funded?
We don’t take referrals directly from individuals and families. Instead, the first step will be for you to reach out to the person’s GP so that they can be referred and funded through the correct NHS channel. Depending on the type of support needed, this could include local authority funding, NHS funding, joint funding between the local authority and NHS, or direct payments. Please note, referrals for NHS or local authority funded services must come from a referring organisation.
We also provide a private service where funding can be accessed via private medical insurance, or individuals can self-pay. For more information, please visit Priory Hospital Bristol.
How to make a referral
Our customer service centre provides 24/7 support for NHS mental health enquiries and referrals. Our customer referral co-ordinators can support you from your first call right through to the enquiry conclusion, providing updates throughout the process. We offer 24/7 crisis referrals, fast access to bed availability and placements, and a single access point for end-to-end enquiry management.