Work has completed on the 8-bed Seastone Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) High Intensity Environment (HIE) for Dorset HealthCare at its Alumhurst Road site in Bournemouth. Designed by Medical Architecture alongside the NHS Trust and built by Kier, the new building takes advantage of its elevated woodland setting to create a safe and therapeutic environment for the recovery of a vulnerable patient group.
There is currently a shortage of facilities in the south west of England for children and young people with an acute mental health illness who cannot be safely cared for on a General Adolescent Unit. This new facility enables staff to effectively treat patients displaying highly complex and challenging behaviours in a secure and dignified setting. Suitable for patients aged 12–18, the building includes eight inpatient beds, day spaces, a two-classroom school facility, treatment spaces, a tribunal room, and enhanced care facilities.
Utilising a site of natural quality
Located close to an existing Grade II* Listed hospital building, the site features attractive grounds that provide a secluded and therapeutic setting. The design responds both to the site’s constraints and opportunities, as well as the specific requirements of the patient group. Taking advantage of the steeply sloping woodland site, the building is positioned on an existing plateau, elevating the patient accommodation to create a direct connection with the surrounding tree canopies. Staff accommodation is located at lower ground floor level, with access to landscaped outdoor space and attractive woodland views.
Specialist facilities for a vulnerable patient group
Designed around the complex needs of the patient group, the building promotes the safety and wellbeing of both patients and staff. Clear zoning enables patients to co-exist while providing opportunities for separation to de-escalate tension. All patient accommodation and clinical spaces are arranged on a single level, linked by comfortably wide circulation that supports easy movement between zones and provides clear sight lines for staff to manage risk.
A large central courtyard forms the heart of the patient accommodation, providing a secure and accessible outdoor space. Day spaces, including a television room, games room and lounge, are arranged around the courtyard to maximise views of the surrounding woodland. Characterised by generous amounts of glazing, they offer bright, vibrant environments with opportunities for passive observation. Through a choreographed approach to placemaking, strategically located rooflights highlight a series of special spaces within the building, including a snug seating area within the central corridor.
A calming environment with personal spaces
The ensuite bedrooms provide an important sanctuary, offering young patients a comfortable, private environment with excellent daylight. Large secure windows, combined with the stepped landscape, create the feeling of being nestled among the treetops. Generous window seats encourage calm contemplation while overlooking a biodiverse landscape. Bespoke built-in joinery integrates the necessary safety and robustness requirements while allowing space for personal belongings, helping to create a familiar and reassuring environment.
Delivering quality and value on a sensitive site
Positioned at the rear of the existing hospital campus and below the main access route and listed building, the roof forms a prominent visual feature within the wider setting. A high-quality standing seam zinc roof and buff brick base complement the site’s heritage buildings while ensuring the longevity of the building envelope. A large photovoltaic array will generate at least 53,000 kWh annually, and the building is on target to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.
As one of the early projects within the NHS New Hospital Programme, the scheme has helped inform future projects through forward-thinking buildability and room standardisation. Early rationalisation of the accommodation delivered a high-quality environment within challenging budget constraints. The new facility enables Dorset HealthCare to provide specialist care closer to home and support networks, reducing waiting times for admission, supporting faster recovery and lowering costs to the NHS, all within a healing environment that fully embraces its therapeutic setting.
Enhanced by co-design
Given the complex and vulnerable nature of the patient group, co-production was fundamental to the design process. A structured engagement programme brought together clinical teams, estates representatives, peer specialists, existing service users, local residents and members of the public, with additional input from the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi). Feedback highlighted the importance of clearly separating private and communal spaces, supported by calm transition areas that reduce anxiety and aid recovery. These insights directly informed the zoning of day and night accommodation and the provision of sanctuary spaces throughout the building.
Matthew Bryant, Chief Executive at Dorset HealthCare, said: “This facility represents a major step forward for mental health services in Dorset. It will enable us to care for young people with high intensity needs in a restorative environment close to friends and family, improving the chance of recovery.”
Yvonne Ophaus, Associate at Medical Architecture, said: “Responding to the site’s complex topography and the unit’s distinctive requirements, the building harnesses the calming qualities of its woodland setting to create a sanctuary among the trees, supporting the delivery of care for a vulnerable patient group.”
Matt Griffiths, Healthcare Sector Director at Kier Construction, said:
“Working in collaboration with the Trust, the New Hospital Programme, and our specialist supply chain partners, our local team is proud to have delivered this best-in-class facility with Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust – the third such project we have completed for them in the last three years. Drawing on our extensive healthcare and mental health expertise, the team successfully navigated a complex site and technically challenging build, including a steep gradient and a live hospital environment, to create a calm, therapeutic setting that now provides a peaceful space for clinicians to deliver the best possible patient care.”