Mental health clinic’s urgent safety probe
AMENTAL health ward at Runcorn’s Brooker Centre has been deemed not safe after complaints from patients’ relatives sparked an “urgent inspection” from the sector watchdog.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) visited Weaver Ward following an unspecified “serious incident”, which had led to admissions being suspended.
Inspectors reported concerns over gaps between doors and their frames that could be used as potential ligature points meaning they could be used for attempts to self-harm by hanging.
It added that the doors were of “solid construction” and had not been identified in a ligature point risk assessment.
The report also said times of staff observations were not recorded in accordance with policy, which states that patient checks should avoid predictability such as taking place every 15 minutes.
There were, however, positives recorded by the CQC.
These included the minimised use of “restrictive practices”, the ward was clean and well equipped and maintained, best practice in managing challenging behaviour, good access to clinical information, medicines records and staff levels.
Staff also treated patients with “compassion and kindness”, “respected their privacy and dignity”, and understood patients’ individual needs, and they “actively involved patients and families and carers in care decisions”.
As a result of the inspection, the CQC downgraded the Brooker Centre’s parent organisation the North West Boroughs Healthcare Trust’s (NWBH)’s acute wards and psychiatric intensive care units service to “requires improvement”, while the overall service and centre remain “good”.
The NWBH said it is taking the CQC’s findings “extremely seriously” and is taking action to rectify any shortcomings.
Joanne Hiley, NWBH’s executive director for nursing and quality, said: “We accept the findings of the Care Quality Commission following a targeted visit to Weaver Ward.
“We are taking the feedback extremely seriously and have already made changes to improve patient safety across our trust.
“This includes strengthening staff awareness and introducing mandatory competency training for all staff relating to our observation, safety and engagement procedure.
“We have also increased visible clinical leadership on the ward and enhanced psychological support for staff.
“Staff are being developed through a programme to support ‘coaching for a safety culture’.
“This uses a coaching approach to improve the safety culture on the ward, and supports staff to improve the quality of care provided.
“We are pleased to note examples of positive practice highlighted in the report; particularly with regards the compassion and kindness of our staff, who respect privacy and dignity, understand the individual needs of patients and actively involve patients, families and carers in care decisions.
“We are committed to building on progress already made to make sure patients, their families and carers are assured they are in a safe environment when on our wards.”
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Derek Twigg, Labour, asked Chancellor Rishi Sunak in a written letter if such a scheme could be introduced, and received a reply from Exchequer Secretary Kemi Badenoch.
Mrs Badenoch said the Government recognised the “extreme disruption” experienced by live performance industry and that the Chancellor had introduced “unprecedented” support for organisations in the sector.