Abbeygate is a 17 bedded assessment and treatment inpatient facility, usually for older persons, who may also have a physical health complexity in addition to their mental health needs. We serve the adult population of West Suffolk. We provide high standards of treatment and care if you require a safe and therapeutic setting to promote recovery, which will involve you, and your family or carer if you so wish, every step of the way. Seven of the beds are specifically for the care of people with dementia which are set in a dedicated area. Our focus is for you to safely return to your home as soon as this is possible.

People can get help from our service via a GP referral, via the Access and Assessment team or other front facing services such as the Psychiatric Liaison team or Crisis Response service. The West Suffolk Home Treatment Team take and manage all referrals. If you are currently receiving assistance from other NSFT services, you can contact your Care Co-ordinator.

​Our service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

During your admission, a variety of assessments will be conducted and treatment options as a result of the assessments will be discussed with you. You will have the opportunity to engage in your suggested treatment plan and whilst you are in hospital, you can expect to be treated as an individual. Your needs and wishes will be considered irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age. We recognise the importance of your privacy and dignity, and we will do everything we can to meet these needs. You will have your own en-suite room and we have separate male and female sleeping areas.

Length of stay can vary but this will be discussed with you individually. You can expect to have a multi-disciplinary review at least weekly with access to a wide range of professionals; Consultant Psychiatrist and other specialist medics, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Dietician and Physiotherapist amongst others. Individual choices for meals will be considered with specialist dietary requests being met by our catering staff who cook freshly prepared meals on site

​Abbeygate Ward
Wedgwood House
West Suffolk Hospital
Hardwick Lane
Bury St Edmunds
IP33 2QZ

​You can call us on 01284 719788 (direct to the ward), or via Wedgwood House Reception on 01284 719700.

This is not an exhaustive list:​

• Bipolar disorder
• Mood disorders such as Depression and Mania
• Psychotic disorders
• Dementia umbrella conditions e.g. Alzheimer’s disease and Vascular Dementia 
• Post-Traumatic Stress disorder
• Generalised Anxiety Disorder
• Personality Disorders 

During your stay, family and carers form part of your assessment and care. With your permission, staff may ask to regularly speak to your relative and carer in order to receive and provide information, to offer support and to work collaboratively towards your overall care.

We provide Carers Clinics on the ward for your family and carers. If your regular carer needs extra support, they could benefit from a Carers Assessment which we can signpost to and is provided by Social Services.

We have a quiet room available for use by visitors. We also have a room available off the ward for visitors with children.

Children under the age of 16 are not allowed on the ward so it is advisable to speak to staff prior to them visiting.

There is parking available on the main Hospital site but there is a charge to use the parking facilities.

The ward offers good disabled access and is on the ground floor, with availability of disabled toilet facilities.

Refreshments are not available within Wedgwood House with the exception of a vending machine in the main corridor, but there is a well-used café in the main Hospital which is reasonably priced. The ward staff will usually offer drinks to visitors due to the absence of a café within the building

​Vanessa Cotter (email vanessa.cotter@nsft.nhs.uk)

In an urgent situation you should contact your GP for further assistance or the first response team on 0808 196 3494.

If you are already using NSFT services, call the contact number you were given for when you are in crisis.

If you cannot find this number, contact the team you are seeing by calling them direct, or via your local Access and Assessment team:

• Suffolk (except Great Yarmouth and Waveney) - call 0300 123 1334