Publish date: 3 June 2025

This month sees our Cheshire and Merseyside Specialist Community Forensic Team mark its first birthday. This service supports people who have a learning disability or who are on the autistic spectrum. It’s part of our Secure Services Division, based in Hollins Park and has now been clinically operational for a year.

Team manager Chris Colwell tells us: “This milestone marks a year of our team working tirelessly. I want to thank them for their commitment and hard work to develop shared objectives and purpose, establishing robust clinical operational systems. Together, they’ve really helped to make sure services are accessible, effective and compassionate. I’m really proud of them!”

In that time, the team have worked with more than 100 service users and linked in with Health, Social Care, Criminal Justice and third party sector teams. Their mandatory training is at 100 percent have been peer viewed by service lead Julia Anderson, who also runs services in Lancashire and in Greater Manchester.  They marked their anniversary with a reflective session, sharing learned skills from their wide range of expertise.

Chris tells us that the team’s services can be linked into by colleagues working across the Cheshire and Merseyside footprint to make use of their skillset with service users. They are part of Secure Division but open to all the Trust who may need their local advice. They can be contacted on 01925 664004.