Cygnet Elowen Hospital Officially Opens
A new hospital run by Cygnet Health Care has officially opened in Derbyshire today, delivering much-needed specialist care to adults struggling with eating disorders and mental health needs.
Cygnet Elowen Hospital, a 24‑bed facility in Shipley, Heanor, will provide specialist care for those living with eating disorders, personality disorders and associated mental‑health difficulties.
Split across two specialist wards, the new hospital will offer vital support closer to home at a time when demand for mental health services continues to rise.
The ribbon‑cutting ceremony was led by Councillor Alan Abernethy, Mayor of Heanor and Loscoe, who was joined by Cygnet Health Care staff, NHS partners, local dignitaries and a former eating disorder patient who now works as an Expert by Experience, supporting others undergoing treatment at Cygnet Health Care hospitals..
“It is a privilege to welcome Cygnet Elowen Hospital to our community,” said Cllr Abernethy. “This state‑of‑the‑art facility will not only offer life‑changing support to adults across Derbyshire and beyond, but will also create valuable jobs and investment right here in Heanor and Loscoe.
“I am delighted to see a service that combines clinical excellence with compassion, and I look forward to the positive impact it will have on the lives of patients and their families.”
Cygnet Elowen Hospital comprises two wards named by current and former patients at Cygnet’s Nield House service in Crewe; Nova (meaning ‘new star’), for male and female eating disorder patients and Alina (meaning ‘light’), for women with personality disorder and disordered eating.
Working closely with people who have lived experience, the hospital team shaped the building’s layout, furnishings, colour palette and artwork to create a calming, therapeutic environment where patients can focus on recovery close to home.
Dr Tony Romero, Cygnet CEO, said: “Demand for high-quality eating disorder services continues to rise nationally, and we know that timely, specialist support close to home can make a critical difference in someone’s recovery journey. With the opening of Cygnet Elowen Hospital, we are not only increasing our ability to help more people, but ensuring that care is delivered in a way that is compassionate, personalised and grounded in clinical excellence.
“Our team has worked closely with individuals with lived experience to help shape a service that feels welcoming and safe from the moment someone walks through the door. Every element has been designed to support long-term recovery.
“We are proud to partner with the NHS and local services to address this growing need, and we are committed to being part of the solution by delivering high-quality, specialist mental health care. I am confident that Cygnet Elowen Hospital will have a lasting, positive impact on the lives of those we support and their families.”
Molly Anderton is a former patient of eating disorder services after struggling with anorexia throughout her teen years. She is now a Cygnet Expert by Experience, where she uses her lived experience to work with patients at Cygnet services.
She attended the official opening where she spoke about her involvement in designing the new service.
She said: “For many years I faced the wrath of an eating disorder which led to periods of hopelessness, despair and crisis. The number of inpatient admissions for eating disorders has risen consistently and dramatically, with community services being more stretched than ever. This is one of many reasons why the opening of Cygnet Elowen Hospital is so important as it will help more people access the care they need, closer to home.
“I have been incredibly lucky to have been involved in the planning, development and opening of Elowen since January last year. Places like Elowen become our temporary home, but they are also where we face some of the hardest and most distressing moments of our lives. The surroundings in which we do this can make a huge difference. Those seemingly small details, the colour and fabric of the furniture, the location of the dining room, the pictures and decor on the walls, all contribute to creating an atmosphere of comfort, calm and healing instead of institutional, cold and harsh.
“Already the team at Cygnet Elowen Hospital have created a culture of kindness and understanding. I have great hope that Elowen is going to be a service inspiring hope and recovery, that it will be a place for healing, connection and growth. I believe that we will listen openly and purposefully to those we support, working to ensure that everyone walking through these doors is offered the individualised and needs-led care they need, in order to return to their homes and live fulfilling lives in the community.”
The hospital brings more than 100 new jobs to the local economy, across clinical, nursing, therapy, catering, domestic and administrative roles. Facilities include en‑suite bedrooms, therapy and treatment rooms, a quiet lounge, communal dining area, landscaped garden and ample on‑site parking.
Lisa Kaye Sutton, Hospital Manager, added: “I am really proud to lead this new hospital and help support people in need of our care. We have assembled a skilled and compassionate multidisciplinary team who are passionate about delivering personalised care.
“From our first planning meetings to today’s opening, the voices of people with lived experience have guided every decision, ensuring that Cygnet Elowen Hospital truly feels like a place of safety, dignity and empowerment.”
