Mental health hospital opening in tribute to 'beautiful, loving' Sandwell care worker

Cygnet Health Care will launch the Cygnet Joyce Parker Hospital in Coventry next month, named after Joyce Parker who died earlier this year.

The 61-year-old lived in Tividale and worked in Tipton as a support worker – caring for men with neuropsychiatric or neurodegenerative conditions.

Now the healthcare company she worked for is set to help provide a legacy for the worker who was described as “caring” and “absolutely brilliant”.

Darren Parker, Joyce’s husband, said: “We are very proud of our beloved Joyce and to have a hospital named after her is a great honour to a beautiful, loving lady. As a family, we thank Cygnet for their recognition.

“Joyce got on with everybody or tried to. She was respected in her job where she worked. Joyce was not just a loving wife, a mum, a nan, a sister, an auntie, a daughter-in-law, she was our best friend. She was a brilliant person. She loved us all and we loved her.”

The site, in Landsdowne Street in Coventry, will specifically cater to young people aged between 12 and 18 with mental health issues.

It has been launched in response to a “rising demand” for mental health care services, health chiefs have said.

Paul Bentham, operations director for Cygnet’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), said: “It is our aim is to create a high-quality service that will be emulated for the way it is helping young people on the road to recovery.”

Joyce, aged 61, was a mother of five and a grandmother – and worked at Cygnet Meadow Mews in Tipton.

Jacqueline Johnson, a former colleague of Joyce’s and a manager at the Tipton hospital, said: “Joyce worked in care most of her life and was absolutely brilliant with patients and residents. She was so caring, and her dedication and work ethic was amazing.

"We will always remember her for how she helped new people coming to Cygnet. Because she was a bit older, she very supportive of new staff and was a brilliant member of the team. She got on with everyone. Nothing was too much trouble.

"We were all thrilled when Cygnet suggested naming the new service in Coventry after Joyce.

"When we told her family what we wanted to do to remember her, they were amazed. It was a very emotional conversation, and it brought tears to my eyes.”