Female-only Psychiatric Unit Opens in Roehampton

Facility at Holybourne Hospital will boost care for women in crisis

The Mayor of Wandsworth cuts the ribbon to open the new Hampton Ward at Holybourne Hospital

October 2, 2026

Hampton Ward at Holybourne Hospital has been officially opened by the Mayor of Wandsworth, marking a significant expansion of specialist mental health provision for women. The new nine-bed unit in Roehampton is one of only a handful of female-only psychiatric intensive care wards in the capital, created in response to a long-standing shortage that has forced many women in crisis to be treated far from home.

Until now, when no suitable local bed was available, women from South London could be sent as far as Bristol or Manchester for care — a disorientating and isolating experience at an already vulnerable moment. National figures underline the scale of the problem: out-of-area mental health placements rose by five per cent between 2024 and 2025, according to the Care Quality Commission. Hampton Ward aims to reduce that reliance on distant hospitals by offering intensive support on site at Holybourne, keeping women closer to their families, familiar surroundings and the clinical teams already involved in their care.

The ward has been created following a £2 million investment by Active Care Group, which has converted former office, training and clinical areas into a modern, trauma-informed environment. Women with lived experience of psychiatric services helped shape the design, resulting in quieter spaces, adjustable lighting and sensory-friendly features that can be tailored to individual needs. Each of the nine private en-suite bedrooms includes dimmable, colour-changing lights, ceiling-mounted speakers and personal televisions, offering both comfort and therapeutic flexibility.

Alongside psychiatric and nursing care, patients will have access to a seven-day therapeutic programme designed to help them understand emotions, develop coping strategies and prepare for recovery. Art, music, dance and movement therapy will sit alongside physical activity and supported leisure, with timetables adapted to each woman’s readiness to participate.

At an open day on 29 September, Councillor Emmeline Owens, Mayor of Wandsworth, joined local health and care representatives to tour the new facility. Keith Browner, Chief Executive Officer of Active Care Group, said the investment was about more than increasing capacity. “Being admitted to psychiatric intensive care is already an incredibly difficult time in someone’s life. Having to travel away from home can make that experience even harder,” he said. “We have invested more than £2 million not simply in creating additional beds, but in developing Hampton Ward around trauma-informed principles, with high-quality facilities, innovative technology and access to therapeutic care that supports women towards recovery.”

Dr Amit Chatterjee, the organisation’s Chief Medical Officer, emphasised the importance of the environment itself. “Providing the right clinical care is essential, but the environment in which that care takes place can also play an important role in helping someone feel safe and supported,” he said, highlighting the ward’s sensory-aware design and adaptable spaces.

The first patients are expected to be admitted in the week beginning 5 October, with recruitment focused on staff from the local area.