Cygnet Hospital, Bierley, told to improve by CQC

The health watchdog visited the Cygnet Hospital in Bierley on two dates in August "following receipt of specific and significant concerns about the safety and culture within the service".

It was an unannounced inspection and the CQC said: "We did not plan to rate the hospital at this inspection as it was a focused inspection of key lines of enquiry related to the safe, caring and well led key questions only.

"However due to the inspection findings we have rated the core service as Requires Improvement."

It marks a downgrade for the hospital, which was rated as Good following an inspection back in February of this year.

It is now Requires Improvement overall and in the questions: Are services safe? Are services well led? It is rated as being Good in the Are services effective? Are services caring? Are services responsive? categories.

The inspection report said: We rated Cygnet Bierley as Requires Improvement because: Staff did not consistently review the effects of each patient’s medication on their physical health according to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance or the provider’s policy following the use of rapid tranquilisation.

"Staff utilised mechanical restraint to transport a patient to seclusion which was against hospital policy and restrictive interventions training.

"It was not clear from documentation that staff made the decision to end seclusion at the earliest opportunity on all wards.

"Staff, especially those on the psychiatric intensive care unit ward, cited negative morale and lack of team cohesion as a result of the whistle-blowing complaints being made to the Care Quality Commission.

"Some patients and carers told us that staff did not always engage with them in a positive manner.

"Governance systems in place were not entirely effective in identify areas of concern found during inspection."

But, inspectors said they did find areas of good practice.

"The ward environments were safe and clean," the report said.

"Staff minimised the use of restrictive practices and followed good practice with respect to safeguarding. Patients told us they felt safe, listened to, and respected by staff."

A spokesperson for Cygnet Hospital Bierley said: “Cygnet Hospital Bierley retains its Good rating in most areas, for being effective, caring and responsive.

"We are naturally disappointed that the overall rating has been impacted at the latest inspection and we have requested a rating review for which we are currently awaiting a response.

“The safety and well-being of our service-users is our priority, and it is positive the report acknowledges that patients told inspectors that they felt safe and listened to, and that staff were fair in their decisions, were respectful, polite, and treated them with privacy and dignity."

The spokesperson added: "Staff too reported they felt respected and valued at work, and where issues had arisen, managers dealt with these situations quickly and effectively.

“Where there are areas that we can improve, senior managers have taken immediate steps to address the CQC’s concerns.”