Reports of violence, aggression and patient incidents have fallen by more than half at a trust, following the opening of a refurbished older adult mental health hospital in the West Midlands.
The redevelopment of Edward Street Hospital in West Bromwich, which dates from the 19th century, was completed in September last year.
“These results are incredibly encouraging and reflect the difference that the right care environment can make”
Carolyn Green
The move replaced outdated dormitory-style accommodation with modern en-suite bedrooms and therapeutic spaces designed to support privacy, dignity and recovery.
The hospital, run by Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, provides 24-hour care and support to older people with mental health needs, such as dementia, depression and anxiety.
The trust said new data showed reportable incidents fell by 55%, violence and aggression incidents by 58%, and patient-on-patient incidents by 61% in the five months following the move.
A trust spokesperson told Nursing Times that, prior to reopening, the overall number of incidents reported in the old-style wards was 293, falling to 166 afterwards.
For violence and aggression, the old wards reported 76 incidents, which dropped to 43 following the move to the new accommodation.
The initial figures date from May 2025 and the figures since patients moved into the hospital were taken in March 2026, said the spokesperson.
The £30m redevelopment was part of the national programme to remove dormitory accommodation from mental health facilities and create more modern, therapeutic spaces for care.
The trust highlighted that the new hospital has been designed to create a calmer and more therapeutic environment for patients, families and staff.
Bedrooms are organised into zoned areas to support privacy and safety, while every ward has direct access to outdoor terraces and gardens.
In addition, is said that natural light, warm timber finishes and carefully planned spaces help the hospital feel welcoming.
The trust added that the move had also had a positive impact on the recruitment and retention of nursing staff.
For example, it has seen a 22% improvement in registered nurse vacancy rates and an 11% improvement in healthcare support worker vacancy rates since opening.
Meanwhile, the trust highlighted that the redevelopment project also kept mental health care at the “heart of the local community”.
Edward Street Hospital sits close to West Bromwich High Street, continuing a long history of healthcare on the site and helping challenge the stigma that can surround mental health services.
It also noted that the new entrance, café and courtyard had been designed to feel open and inclusive, with the hospital remaining connected to the community rather than hidden away.
And, in parts of the new building, patient bedrooms sit just metres from the pavement, an “unusually visible and confident approach” for a mental health facility, said the trust.
Carolyn Green, chief nursing officer and deputy chief executive at Black Country Healthcare, said: “These results are incredibly encouraging and reflect the difference that the right care environment can make.
“Reductions in violence, aggression and patient incidents mean people are feeling safer, more settled and better supported during their recovery,” she said.
Edward Street Hospital
Jackie Stevens, divisional director of nursing for older adults and talking therapies at the trust, said: “Every day we are seeing how the design of the building supports safer, more therapeutic care.
“Our staff worked incredibly hard to prepare for the move, and it is rewarding to see the positive difference the new environment is making for patients, families and colleagues,” she said.
Ms Stevens added: “Edward Street Hospital has been a longstanding part of this community. The new building continues that legacy while giving patients and staff the modern facilities they deserve.
“For older adults, people living with dementia and families going through very difficult moments, this environment helps us provide care with compassion, safety and respect.”