The chief executive of the NHS and the Department of Health, Sir Nigel Crisp, visited Bradford yesterday.

His tour included a look at the new £4 million forensic unit at Lynfield Mount Hospital in Daisy Hill, which has just started taking its first patients.

Sir Nigel began the day addressing staff at a conference hosted by Bradford City Teaching Primary Care Trust, at the Midland Hotel.

He told delegates he was impressed by the learning culture within the organisation, which was improving recruitment and retention of health workers, in turn resulting in better services for patients.

He left the conference to visit mental health and learning disabilities facilities run by Bradford District Care Trust across the district.

The new unit at Lynfield Mount provides 36 open and low secure in-patient beds as part of the Trust's forensic mental health service, and a further 18 in-patient beds for the assessment and treatment of people with learning disabilities.

Sir Nigel was told by Ian Carter, clinical services manager, that one of the key benefits was that for the first time Bradford had specialist accommodation for women requiring low secure care.

Previously they had to be cared for outside the district, away from family and friends.

The forensic mental health facility, Moorlands View, replaces cramped and outdated accommodation and has four wards and a range of specialist facilities include a training kitchen, day and activity rooms, occupational therapy, outside areas and a multi-faith room.

It also brings a range of specialist professionals on board, including a psycho-social intervention nurse, occupational therapists, psychologists and consultants.

Head of nursing Louis Bebb said the new development was an ideal opportunity to cut ties with the legacy of institutionalised care and start afresh.

"This is a purpose-built, brand new unit and our nursing team has had a strong input into its design," he said.

"It has been built with the special needs of our service users in mind, from the overall layout and furnishings to the colours on the walls and floors, which have been chosen for their calming effects."

Sir Nigel said he was impressed with the facilities. He left the unit to have lunch with the community mental health team at the Horton Park Centre, and later visited Melville House in Bradford, a centre for employment for people with learning disabilities.