The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has downgraded the rating of child and adolescent mental health (CAMHS) wards at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust from good to requires improvement following an inspection from 18 to 21 August.
The trust has five CAMHS wards across two locations. These include Lotus ward, Redburn ward, Stephenson ward, the Riding and Fraser ward.
CQC inspected all five wards to follow up on concerns received about the standard of care people were receiving, as well as part of CQCs ongoing monitoring of the trust.
CQC found breaches of regulation in relation to safe care and treatment, safeguarding people from abuse and improper treatment, person-centred care, staffing and good management.
The trust has been told to submit a plan showing what action it is taking in response to these concerns. CQC will continue to monitor the trust to ensure these improvements are made and people are safe while it happens.
Following the inspection, CQC has dropped the CAMHS rating for being safe and caring from good to requires improvement, well-led has been re-rated as requires improvement, effective has gone down from outstanding to good, and responsive has been re-rated as good.
Inspectors found:
- The service didn’t always carry out comprehensive ligature risk assessments on the ward. Also, the use of face down restraint was high and mechanical restraint wasn’t carried out in line with national guidance which could put people at risk of harm. However, the trust had started to reduce these incidents at the time of the inspection.
- Staff hadn’t received all the necessary training to be able to support people appropriately.
- Staff didn’t always raise safeguarding concerns to relevant partner organisations when required, to help protect people from harm.
- The trusts’ information systems weren’t always effective in identifying or addressing areas for improvement to keep people safe.
However:
- Staff treated people with compassion and kindness and gave them emotional support and advice when they needed it.
- The service provided a range of activities for people which included boxing, as well as education which was tailored to meet their individual needs and support their wellbeing.
- Staff managed people’s medicines well and in line with national guidance. They were also stored appropriately.