Cygnet Hospital Kidsgrove, on Boathouse Road, Stoke-on-Trent, is a 31-bed hospital which will support women to receive emergency mental health support and specialist rehabilitation.
It was officially opened on Tuesday 29 April by CEO of Cygnet Health Care, Stephen Firn, Hospital Manager Wiston Magunda, Expert by Experience Venus Lamey and Kidsgrove Town Mayor, Cllr Kevin Johnson.
Wiston said: “At Cygnet Health Care we are doing all we can to make a positive difference to the lives of those suffering with their mental health. Cygnet is determined to play its part in ensuring people get access to the right treatment, at the right time and the opening of Cygnet Hospital Kidsgrove is a new chapter in our commitment to provide outstanding mental health care and support in the West Midlands.
“The hospital will help keep women from the West Midlands closer to home and bring care and treatment closer to their family and friends. It will provide a safe and supportive environment for those who need it most and provide a space where high quality, person-centred care can be delivered.
“From working in collaboration with former service users to ensure the design is optimum for recovery, to the dedicated clinical and support teams we’ve brought together, every element of this new hospital has been carefully considered to ensure we offer the best experience for our service users and their families.
“We are proud to be part of the Kidsgrove community and look forward to creating positive outcomes, not just for our service users, but for the wider community too.”
The opening of the new hospital has brought 105 new jobs to the local area, including clinical, nursing and administrative roles.
Dr Tony Romero, CEO of Cygnet, added: “We already have a strong presence in the West Midlands region and Cygnet Hospital Kidsgrove will be a fantastic addition to our existing mental health services. It will make an enormous difference to those who may have otherwise needed to have travelled further distances for their care and treatment and signifies an important milestone in our mission to expand and enhance specialist mental health services across the UK.
“At Cygnet, our mission is to provide safe, compassionate, quality care that enables staff to improve the lives of those entrusted to us. That mission is at the very heart of this new hospital.
“Cygnet Hospital Kidsgrove is the product of thoughtful planning, design and collaboration at every level, from our clinical and operational teams, to our commissioners and our service users who had valuable input into the design. I am looking forward to seeing the positive impact we will have on the lives of women in need of support.”
Cygnet’s in house interior design team worked with existing service users, Experts by Experiences (EbyEs) and carers, who consulted on artwork, furniture, flooring, wallpaper and soft furnishings to ensure the environment at Cygnet Hospital Kidsgrove is optimum for recovery.
Venus is a former patient at Cygnet Bury Forestwood and the Cygnet EbyE who contributed her ideas during the development.
She said: “As someone who has walked the path of mental health recovery I know this new hospital will create such an impact to the community.
“From the moment I stepped through Cygnet’s doors, I was met not just with care, but with genuine compassion. The staff didn’t just do their jobs, they truly cared . They tailored my care to fit me as an individual and helped me rediscover purpose. The facilities were not only safe and supportive, but they gave me space to grow. It felt less like a hospital and more like a place of healing.
“One of the most difficult parts of my journey was having to leave my community and be far away from my family, friends, and local professionals who knew me best.
“This new hospital changes that. It means that people can access outstanding, individualised mental health care closer to home. It means they can stay near the people who love them, the professionals who already understand their needs, and the community they’re a part of. That makes a huge difference during the hardest moments of someone’s life.
“This new hospital is more than just a building; it’s a symbol of progress, of care done right, of lives changed for the better.”
The new service, part of the Cygnet Health Care division, has two wards; Crocus Ward, for acute admissions and Burleigh Ward, a highly specialised Personality Disorder service.
Both wards will treat women in a safe and comfortable environment and support them to safely progress along their recovery journey.
