Cornwall's adolescent mental health unit to care for youngsters beyond their 18th birthday
The Sowenna unit in Bodmin is the first of its kind in the Duchy
Cornwall’s first adolescent mental health unit will now be able to care for young people beyond their 18th birthday.
Truro-based charity, the Invictus Trust, is marking its 10 year anniversary with the landmark announcement.
The Cowburn family established the Invictus Trust following the tragic death of their beloved 18-year-old old son Ben, following a short period of mental illness in 2010.
Over the past decade they have raised awareness of youth mental health, provided a mental health support portal on their website, supported and financed many Cornish families whose children were being treated all over the UK and campaigned for an adolescent mental health unit for Cornwall.
Following a seven-year Invictus campaign, working with the CEO of the NHS Foundation Trust, 2019 saw the fabulous Sowenna Adolescent Mental Health Unit open in Bodmin, offering 14 in-patient beds to young people up to the age of 18.
As Ben Cowburn would not have been eligible for this facility, the Invictus Trust continued to lobby for young people to be permitted to stay in the unit beyond their 18th birthday to complete their treatment.
The Invictus Trust are very proud to be able to announce that young people will now be able to continue their inpatient stay in Sowenna, past their 18th birthday when clinically appropriate.
The unit will also be able to admit young people in their late teens, when clinicians believe Sowenna is the best place for them to receive their care.
“We welcome the opportunity to take this tentative step towards the aims of the Long Term Plan. This small change means we will be able to allow young people to complete a course of treatment in Sowenna past their 18th birthday, when we feel this will deliver the best outcome for them.”
Phil Confue, CEO
The NHS Long Term Plan sets out the ambition to develop new approaches to support the mental health of young adults aged 18 to 25.
The charity says these approaches will help young people who face a great deal of change during these formative years.
“We are all so pleased and relieved to announce this latest development, following much lobbying and meetings with Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and local MP Scott Mann – we want to see the mental health needs of all of the young people of Cornwall being met here in the county, close to their family and friends."
Steve Cowburn, Trustee of The Invictus Trust and Ben's dad
“We must offer our heart-felt thanks to all of our fundraisers over the years, who have enabled us to provide huge donations to the equipping of Sowenna, as well as supporting the amazing Recovery College Cornwall, a Virtual Reality Project to reduce anxiety and the G999 project working to provide mental health triage with the police. We are always so humbled by everyone’s efforts.”
Sharon Cowburn, Chair of The Invictus Trust, and Ben's mum