TWO hospitals have been told they must improve by the Care Quality Commission.

The health watchdog visited Cygnet’s hospitals in Bierley and Woodside, judging both as ‘requires improvement’.

The hospital at Bierley, on Bierley Lane, provides care for 63 male and female patients across four different wards.

Inspectors said the hospital did not always provide safe care and treatment. Their report said: “The ground floor seclusion room had a viewing panel that could be obscured from the inside to prevent the use of staff viewing points, which could compromise patient and staff safety. Staff sometimes transported patients in restraint holds whilst using stairs, and there was no risk assessment for staff to follow for this procedure. On the psychiatric intensive care unit, the use of planned prone restraint was not always in line with national guidance.”

However, inspectors said the hospital provided “compassionate” care and empowered patients to be active partners in their care. Patients described staff as “kind and caring” and people were said to have access to therapies and activities which met their emotional, spiritual and cultural needs.

Another Cygnet hospital at Woodside, on Beacon Road, provides assessment treatment and rehabilitation for adult men with a primary diagnosis of learning disability.

It was judged as ‘requires improvement’ in markers relating to safety, effectiveness and leadership and ‘good’ in questions looking at how caring and responsive it is.

Nicky McLeod, Chief Operating Officer at Cygnet Health Care, said: “We acknowledge the CQC’s reports on Cygnet’s hospitals at Bierley and Woodside, which have noted several issues for us to address in terms of the services we provide.

“With regard to Cygnet Hospital Bierley, we were pleased to note in the report the recognition of the care provided to our patients. Immediately following the CQC’s inspection and ahead of the publication of the report we began taking action to address some of the concerns raised. Management at the hospital are engaging with the CQC to ensure that all agreed actions are implemented. With regard to Cygnet Hospital Woodside, we took similar swift action immediately following the CQC inspection, the first since 2015. To date we are on track in meeting and fulfilling our robust action plan.”