The achievements recognise excellence in both clinical care and therapeutic design, highlighting our commitment to improving outcomes for people with complex mental health needs through innovation, co-production and compassionate care.
Cygnet Hospital Harrow secured two national awards, winning both Clinical Team of the Year and Project of the Year (Future Design) for its specialist autism service.
The awards recognised the progress made by a young autistic man with highly complex needs who had experienced years of instability in care before arriving at the service. When he was admitted, he presented with significant trauma, severe self-harm behaviour and distress so acute that many previous settings had struggled to support him safely.
Rather than focusing solely on managing risk, the Harrow team developed a completely personalised, co-produced approach centred on understanding what he needed to feel safe, regulated and able to build trust. A bespoke low-arousal therapeutic environment was created, including sensory spaces and private outdoor areas, while the multidisciplinary team worked consistently alongside him to develop communication, emotional regulation and independence.
The Future Design award recognised the innovative environment developed around his needs. Instead of replicating restrictive models of care, the team designed a purpose-adapted setting focused on dignity, predictability and emotional regulation. Features included sensory modulation spaces, carefully controlled lighting and noise reduction, transitional areas to reduce anxiety and safe access to outdoor environments.
The design process began before admission, with occupational therapists and clinical teams working collaboratively to understand the individual’s sensory profile, triggers and strengths. The impact has been transformative. Long-term seclusion was eliminated, restraint reduced significantly and the young man was able to rebuild relationships and reconnect with family members. He now accesses the community, visits cafés and barbers and is preparing for the next stage of his recovery journey.
The Clinical Team of the Year award also recognised the dedication of the nursing and multidisciplinary teams who provided consistent, compassionate support every day.
Cygnet Hospital Harrow manager Will Anderson-White said: “These awards reflect the passion, creativity and commitment of our teams. Supporting individuals with highly complex needs is challenging, but our staff consistently go above and beyond to deliver outstanding care and create environments where people can thrive.
“At Cygnet Hospital Harrow we have continued to improve, think differently and keep the people we support at the centre of everything we do.
“I would like to thank my entire team for their instrumental leadership, dedication to continuity of care and high standards which has been invaluable, and for always being solution-focused.
“We believed that with the right environment, the right relationships and truly person-centred care, positive change was possible. What has been achieved here is incredibly powerful. We have seen someone move from a life defined by restriction and distress to one filled with trust, progress and hope for the future. I am immensely proud of everyone involved.”
Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke was named winner of the Outside Spaces Award for its Kewstoke Farm Project.
The award-winning initiative transformed an eight-year disused and overgrown on-site farm into a thriving therapeutic environment designed to support recovery, wellbeing and skill development. Rather than approaching the redevelopment as a traditional refurbishment project, the hospital worked closely with patients, staff and Experts by Experience to co-produce a space shaped by lived experience.
Service users played an active role throughout the transformation, helping to clear land, restore growing areas, plant crops and shape how the space would function. Today, the farm provides structured occupational therapy sessions alongside informal wellbeing opportunities, allowing patients to engage in gardening, food growing and cooking using produce cultivated on site.
The first harvest, including onions, lettuce and cauliflower, marked a major milestone in the project’s development. The farm has also become an important space for social connection and confidence building, helping individuals develop practical skills and rediscover a sense of purpose.
As part of the next phase of development, the hospital is strengthening links with the wider community through partnerships with local organisations and education providers, alongside plans to donate produce to food banks.
Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke manager Josh Tapp said: “We are absolutely delighted that the Kewstoke Farm Project has received this national recognition. What makes this project so special is that it was shaped alongside the people who use the space every day.
“The farm has become far more than a garden project. It is a place where people can learn new skills, rebuild confidence, connect with others and experience the therapeutic benefits of being outdoors. Seeing the transformation, both of the land and of the individuals involved, has been incredible.”
Cygnet Hospital Woking also received national recognition, achieving a Highly Commended accolade in the Clinical Team of the Year category for its Oaktree Ward team.
The specialist female low secure service was recognised for delivering exceptional care to women with complex mental health needs, often in highly challenging circumstances. The team’s work includes supporting long-term recovery journeys, managing high-risk cases and working in partnership with a wide range of services to achieve positive outcomes for patients.
Winners were announced at the Design in Mental Health Awards ceremony held on 2 June.