A group of Italian doctors visited the adolescent mental health facility, Brookside, in Barley Lane, Goodmayes on Tuesday to find out more about the services available.

The visit from the group, who were from Coop Lilium, in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo, is part of a week-long tour of hospitals and healthcare facilities in England.

Coop Lilium provides intensive residential programmes for adolescents suffering from severe mental health problems and mental disability in communities in Abruzzo, Italy.

The group were shown around Brookside, which included a tour of the on-site school and a question and answer session with some of the young people.

Dominque Quattrocchi, director of Coop Lilium, said: “The visit to NELFT (North East London Foundation Trust) was great for the Italian group as it enabled them to see how adolescent mental health services are provided in a different country to their own.

“They were very impressed with the welcome and information they received from the trust, and the informative tour they had of the Brookside facility.”