Byron Mtandabari – Hospital Manager

Byron is a highly experienced Mental Health Nurse with over 20 years’ experience in both the NHS and independent health sector. Byron has worked in a variety of roles within this time.

Byron leads in ensuring that new initiatives and policies are implemented effectively. Byron strives to make the service user and staff experience a positive one within the unit and organisation. Byron ensures that all regulatory compliance requirements are met i.e. HIW, NHS Wales and Safeguarding.

Ambreen Aslam - Responsible Clinician

Ambreen joined Cygnet St Teilo House in August 2020. She is a qualified Forensic Psychiatrist with 19 years’ experience in Psychiatry both in NHS and Independent sector and her special interests include Women’s mental health and Rehabilitation. Ambreen has had the opportunity to work closely with women experiencing mental health illnesses in both secure and non-secure settings. She also has extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders including psychotic illnesses, mood disorders, personality disorders, and drug and alcohol misuse. She is a compassionate and dedicated person who thrives to provide exceptional care to her patients.

Ambreen works closely with the multidisciplinary team at St Teilo House and they work together to help the patients on their care pathways. Ambreen believes the most important aspect of her role is to be able to make a difference in the lives of individuals, some of whom may have had very difficult pasts. Ambreen looks forward to continuing her role and working with with the team at St Teilo.

Esther Ebigbagha - Speciality Doctor

Esther joined the team in 2022 working as a Speciality Doctor. She is a medical doctor who qualified in 2016 and has since worked in different hospital settings, including mental health institution in general psychiatry.

She is a dedicated and compassionate person who thrives to provide exceptional care to patients in her care. Esther works closely with the multidisciplinary team at Cygnet St Teilo House, working together to help the patients on their care pathways.

Esther believes the most important aspect of her role is to be able to make a difference in the lives of individuals, some of whom may have had very difficult pasts. Esther looks forward to continuing her role and working with the team at St Teilo.

Melissa Jones - Lead Psychologist / Regional Lead Psychologist

Melissa has 30 years of experience working within the field of Forensic Psychology, which has included working within the Prison Service for a number of years and working within hospital settings of various security (medium, low, rehab etc). Client groups have included both males and females across the range of environments.

Melissa first started working within the organisation in 2010 - 2015, and returned in 2018 working in a specialist female Personality Disorder service before moving to Cygnet St Teilo House in February 2020. Melissa is the Regional Lead Psychologist for West Midlands (Birmingham and Coventry) since July 2024 and previously was the Lead for Female Services (Midlands) between 2019 - 2024. Melissa has extensive experience in assessment and treatment for those with severe and enduring mental illnesses, personality disorders, offending histories and substance misuse.

Melissa completed Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) training in 2005, and integrated treatment approaches include; trauma informed approaches, cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy, EMDR and compassion focused therapy. Melissa works collaboratively with individuals in a person centred approach to address areas of risk, trauma and need to achieve progressive milestones and collective outcomes in their recovery journey.

Melissa is passionate about the recruitment, training and development of the next generation of psychologists by supporting opportunities and pathways for trainees and students, and providing clinical and academic supervision.

Sally Drought - Qualified Psychologist

Sally is a qualified Forensic Psychologist at Cygnet St Teilo House, following completing her Qualification in Forensic Psychology Stage 2 with the British Psychological Society, in 2026.

Sally has worked in St Teilo House since 2018, and joined the team as a Mental Health Act Administrator, before becoming an Assistant Psychologist, and then progressing to Trainee Psychologist. Sally has previously worked and volunteered in community settings and the prison service, which led to Sally developing an interest and goal of wanting to work within the field of mental health.

Sally aims to work collaboratively with service users in identifying their current strengths and areas of difficulty, and how psychological interventions can support their recovery. Sally also has experience in risk assessment and psychological formulation, to support both service users in understanding strengths and difficulties, and how staff can support service users with their safety concerns.

Louise Thomas - Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist

Louise has 13 years’ experience working as an Occupational Therapist in mental health hospital settings (secure services and locked rehabilitation). Louise has a passion for working in female mental health services and has dedicated most of her career to this area.

Louise is the Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist for High Dependency Rehabilitation Services across Cygnet. Within this role she is responsible for the development and implementation of the Occupational Therapy Clinical Model.

Louise has completed Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) training along with a number of more Occupational Therapy specific training courses including Model of Human Occupation Screen Tool (MOHOST) Case Formulation and Sensory Attachment Intervention. Louise works collaboratively with individuals to engage in meaningful occupation, achieve their goals and work through the OT pathway.

Louise Moses – Administration Manager

Louise joined Cygnet St Teilo House in May 2008 and has had 39 years of experience in Administration and Accounts.

As Administration Manager, Louise works closely with the Hospital Manager, Head of Care and the HR Department to ensure the smooth running of all administrative aspects of the hospital, ensuring all staff records are in place and updated, this is from recruitment, training, payroll, supervisions, and updating all necessary data bases.

Louise is responsible for the in-patient Bank Service which helps with the safe keeping of all patients’ money, together with hospital finances. In her spare time, Louise enjoys music, keeping fit and reading.