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Anxiety Disorders Residential Unit

How our service can help you

We aim to offer high quality CBT aimed at reducing symptoms of anxiety disorder and improve functioning and quality of life. This would lead to reduced need for local service provision.

The advantages of admission to a residential setting are the ability to deliver CBT in a more intensive format. Staff or residents may assist in frequent exposure or behavioural experiments in a supportive environment. There are more opportunities for modelling and positive reinforcement by others in the moment. There is increased flexibility in delivery of the therapy that can keep the momentum going. Sometimes there are advantages to removing a person from their home context.

We integrate occupational therapy into the therapy. Living in a residential unit increases responsibility that may not occur on an inpatient unit with nursing staff as well as the support and reinforcement from other residents. Lastly the unit can monitor any medication changes or adherence.

For patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), we operate at the highest level of stepped care in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. We do this by providing intensive CBT for the treatment of severe OCD and BDD.

For patients with other anxiety disorders (post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social phobia, agoraphobia/panic, specific phobias, generalised anxiety disorder) the service also operates at the highest level of stepped care in the respective NICE guidelines. We do this by providing intensive CBT and optimisation of medication for the relevant anxiety disorder. The service is for those who have severe symptoms and who have failed treatment locally.

  • Service Borough Covers: National (Adult services) Treatment type: Community/Residential

  • Contact the service

    Site Location: Bethlem Royal Hospital Email: Anxiety.DisordersResidentialUnit@slam.nhs.uk Phone Number: 020 3228 4146 or 020 3228 4051
  • Disabled Access: Yes
  • Address: Dower House
    Bethlem Royal Hospital
    Monks Orchard Road,
    Beckenham,
    BR3 3BX
  • Business Hours/Visiting Hours: 9am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday

    • Other essential information

  • Conditions: Addictions, Anxiety, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Autism, Bipolar disorder, Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), Childhood degenerative disorders, Conduct disorder, Dementia, Depression, Dissociative disorders, Eating disorders, Learning disabilities, Neuropsychiatry, Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), Perinatal disorders, Persistent physical symptoms, Personality disorders, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Psychosexual, Psychosis, Self-harm

Interventions

  • First assessment is a three hour structured interview by an a trained CBT therapist and junior doctor or consultant
  • Admission to Longfield House or Dower House, which is unstaffed from 5pm until 9am. The unit is a detached house in the ground of the Bethlem Royal Hospital
  • Attendance at therapy sessions is mandatory with homework and experiential work at evenings and weekends
  • Home visits accompanied and unaccompanied are part of the agreed programme
  • The treatment programme is 16 weeks
  • The service is for patients with severe anxiety disorders who have failed treatment locally
  • Patients in England who meet the severe treatment refractory criteria for the highly specialised service for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) may be funded by NHS England
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