New female mental health hospital officially opens in Oldham
A new 44-bed mental health hospital for women, Cygnet Kenney House, has officially opened in Oldham, creating over 130 local jobs. The facility aims to provide care closer to home for women in the North West, with a focus on recovery and community support. The project involved collaboration with local employment services and prioritised hiring from the Oldham area.
Cygnet Kenney House, a 44-bed mental health hospital for women, opened its doors Friday on Wester Hill Road in Fitton Hill, transforming the former nursing home site into a facility expected to serve patients across the North West while injecting 135 new jobs into Oldham’s economy.
Cllr Fida Hussain, Cabinet Member for Enterprise, cut the ribbon alongside Cygnet representatives, marking the culmination of a recruitment drive that drew nearly two-thirds of its workforce directly from the Oldham area. Positions span ward clerks and receptionists to chefs, maintenance staff and qualified clinicians, with Cygnet partnering with the council’s Get Oldham Working programme to channel local unemployed residents into the new roles.
“Access to local, high-quality mental health support is crucial, and Cygnet Kenney House will play a vital role in providing compassionate care and support for women who need it most,” Hussain said. “This is a positive step forward for our community, and I’m proud to see Oldham leading the way in mental health care and employment opportunities.”
The hospital comprises three distinct wards—Billington, a 12-bed psychiatric intensive care unit; Baldock, a 16-bed acute service; and Harben, a 16-bed rehabilitation and recovery unit—designed with input from former patients including Mia McGowan, an Expert by Experience who helped open the facility. “This new hospital will give many others the same opportunity,” McGowan said. “It’s a safe space, a place where people can heal, learn, and grow.”
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