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Lishman Unit

How our service can help you

Overview

The Lishman Unit is a national specialist neuropsychiatry service providing rehabilitation for people who experience both neurological and psychological symptoms. We support adults from across England and Wales and are part of the NHS.

Our aim is simple: to help people regain skills, build confidence and increase independence in everyday life.

  • Service Type: 1 Service Borough Covers: National (Adult services)

  • Contact the service

    Site Location: New Douglas Bennett House Known As: Lishman Unit Email: lishmanadmin@slam.nhs.uk Phone Number: 0203 228 2137
  • Address: New Douglas Bennett House (NDBH),
    Maudsley Hospital,
    Denmark Hill,
    London,
    SE5 8AZ
  • Business Hours/Visiting Hours: Weekdays - 16:00 - 20:30 Weekends & Bank Holidays - 09:30 - 20:30 In general, the ward encourages open visiting hours. If arranging visits outside of these hours, please first check your therapy timetable or speak to the team. However, therapy sessions will take priority over visitors.

    • Other essential information

  • Conditions: Acquired brain injury (ABI), Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)

Information for Patients

Our aim is simple: to help people regain skills, build confidence and increase independence in everyday life.

Who We Support

We work with adults who have:

  • An Acquired brain injury (ABI) (for example after stroke, trauma, infection or inflammation)
  • Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)

Everyone we work with is medically stable and ready to take part in active rehabilitation.

What Rehabilitation Involves

Rehabilitation at the Lishman Unit is a structured, goal-focused programme delivered by a multi-disciplinary team. This may include:

  • Nursing and support staff
  • Neuropsychology
  • Neuropsychiatry
  • Occupational therapy
  • Physiotherapy
  • Speech and language therapy
  • Ward doctors
  • Social work support

Rehabilitation usually takes place over several months. You will work with the team to set goals, practise new skills and build independence. Many people find the process challenging at first, but most describe it as a valuable part of their recovery.

What to Expect

We are currently based at the Bethlem Hospital, but anticipate that we will be moving to the Maudsley Hospital by the end of 2026. This move will not change our commitment to:

  • Providing specialist neuropsychiatric rehabilitation
  • Working in partnership with you and your family
  • Supporting you to achieve meaningful goals
  • Treating everyone with dignity, respect and compassion

If you are offered a place, we will provide full information about the ward, visiting arrangements and what to bring before admission.

Information for referrers

About the Service

The Lishman Unit is a 14-bed national neuropsychiatry rehabilitation service for adults with complex neuropsychiatric needs that cannot be met locally. We accept referrals from across England and Wales.Inclusion Criteria

We consider referrals for adults (18+) with:

  • Acquired brain injury with associated behavioural, emotional or mental health needs
  • Confirmed Functional Neurological Disorder, where the patient accepts the diagnosis and sees rehabilitation as required for recovery.
  • Other complex neuropsychiatric presentations (e.g. psychosis in Parkinson’s Disease)

Mobility: Patients must be independently mobile or require no more than one-person assistance for transfers and mobility.

Behavioural risk: We can consider mild to moderate challenging behaviour (e.g. verbal aggression, occasional inappropriate comments). We cannot accept patients with significant physical aggression or sexualised behaviour.

Due to the specialist nature of this service, patients are expected to have already undergone secondary care services (such as physiotherapy for motor symptoms, clinical psychology for functional seizures, pain management programs and community psychiatry for comorbid mental health diagnoses).

Exclusion Criteria

Except in exceptional circumstances, we cannot accept referrals for individuals with:

  • Mental or physical instability preventing engagement in rehabilitation
  • Severe self-harm or suicidal behaviour
  • Dementia or severe alcohol-related brain damage
  • Severe physical disability requiring two-person assistance, hoist or Sara Steady transfers
  • Tracheostomy or NG tube
  • Significant comorbid physical health needs requiring intensive medical treatment
  • Pain, fatigue or functional gastroenterological or urological symptoms are the primary problem
  • Severe physical aggression, sexual disinhibition, or history of violent/sexual offending
  • Prolonged disorders of consciousness (PDOC)
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Need for specialist amputee rehabilitation
  • Under 18 years of age

All patients must have a stable and secure discharge destination

Patients detained under the Mental Health Act or Mental Capacity Act may be admitted if they meet criteria. The ward consultant will act as the Responsible Clinician (RC).

Referrer Responsibilities

Referrers must ensure:

  • The patient is medically and psychiatrically stable
  • The patient understands and agrees to rehabilitation
  • All relevant documentation is provided
  • Funding discussions with commissioners have begun (where required)
  • The patient and family understand the likely waiting time

How to Make a Referral

We accept referrals from clinicians only.

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) referrals

  • Referrals are ideally accepted via BadgerNet
  • If there is no access to BadgerNet, please contact our referrals co-ordinator at lishmanadmin@slam.nhs.uk

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) referrals 

Please send all referrals to lishmanadmin@slam.nhs.uk

Waiting Times

The Lishman Unit is a highly specialist national service. We endeavour to admit patients with acquired brain injuries within a few weeks of referral, but we have a high demand for our FND beds. Waiting times for patients with FND may be up to two years.

For up-to-date information, please contact: lishmanadmin@slam.nhs.uk