Read Construction has delivered a mother-and-baby mental health unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, with the facility welcoming its first patients last month.
Known as Seren Lodge, the single-storey, eight-bed unit is the first dedicated mother-and-baby mental health facility serving Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales.
The development aims to allow mothers experiencing acute perinatal mental health challenges to receive specialist care while remaining with their babies closer to home.
“It is estimated that one in four women experience mental health problems in pregnancy and during the 24 months after giving birth… specialist support can make all the difference,” said Prof Bev Sapre, Clinical Director for perinatal services at Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The project involved the transformation of a former training centre into a modern, state-of-the-art clinical environment.
Construction works included structural alterations, new roofing and flooring, comprehensive fireproofing measures, and external landscaping to support patient wellbeing and safety.
Designed in collaboration with women with lived experience of perinatal mental health services, Seren Lodge has been created to provide a calm, non-institutional setting.
Features include cushioned headboards, dimmable lighting, communal living spaces and dedicated sensory rooms, all intended to support recovery during what can be a particularly vulnerable period.
Read led the redevelopment, adapting the existing structure to meet specialist clinical requirements.
The completed facility provides a nurturing environment that supports both therapeutic care and family bonding.
The scheme was delivered in partnership with Cheshire & Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, alongside NHS England, NHS Wales, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Mersey Care, with continued input from clinicians and experts by experience shaping the service model.
Seren Lodge forms part of wider regional efforts to expand access to specialist perinatal mental health services, reducing the need for women to travel long distances for inpatient care.