STAFF and patients at Hampshire's newest hospital are settling in after their move from Chandler's Ford to Winchester.

Leigh House Hospital is now fully operational after the completion of the £5 million scheme.

The hospital, on Alresford Road, just outside the city, is an adolescent psychiatric unit caring for up to 30 mentally disturbed young people aged between 12 and 18 from across the region.

The 79 staff are getting used to their new surroundings, very different from the former 19th century workhouse.

Manager Alan Saunders said the new site incorporated the best features of the old building with modern facilities.

It is staffed by psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and teachers.

Most children stay for three to four months at the unit, one of only about 20 in the country. About 30 per cent, mainly girls but an increasing number of boys, have eating disorders, 30 per cent psychosis, and 30 per cent depression. About ten per cent have other disorders such as post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Mr Saunders said: "We now have a purpose-built environment for adolescents with psychiatric disorders. That is the key. It is easier to keep clean, its warmer, it has double glazing. We now have a purpose-built sports hall.

"Someone said it is a bit like having a baby. We are entering something new. There are minor teething to deal with but nothing important."

He said the old Leigh House was a nice place to be but it was "challenging," referring to its out of date design. Before a refurbishment in the mid-1990s it was branded as "appalling" by health watchdogs.

The new Leigh House has the capacity to treat 20 in-patients and 10 day-patients. At the previous site the figures were 15 and six.

"We offer a similar service but now for the first time we can offer family therapy and are about to appoint a family therapist," he said.

Other staff were pleased by the new site, which has numerous improvements. Staff have unobtrusive alarms which they can be called quietly in an emergency compared to the loud and upsetting bells at the previous site.