Cambridgeshire mental health crisis services rated ‘requires improvement’ by CQC
Inspectors found staff shortages and leadership concerns at crisis services run by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.
Last updated 21st Feb 2025
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has downgraded the mental health crisis services run by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust from good to requires improvement, following an inspection in August. The rating for safety and leadership also declined, though services remained rated as good for being caring, effective, and responsive.
The inspection covered the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Teams at Fulbourn Hospital in Cambridge, the Cavell Centre in Peterborough, and the First Response Service in Huntingdon. The CQC said it had received concerns about staff shortages, ongoing risks, and leadership response before carrying out the inspection.
Stuart Dunn, CQC deputy director of operations in the East of England, said: “Although we found compassionate and committed staff providing responsive care, leaders need to address systemic challenges to ensure services are consistently safe and well-managed.”
The inspection found that high sickness rates and staff shortages had put pressure on teams, leading to increased reliance on temporary staff. The CQC said this affected continuity of care, as agency staff may not always be familiar with patients’ needs.
“Leaders need to do more to address the risks caused by staff shortages and high sickness rates. This has put significant pressure on teams and forced managers to rely on temporary staff who may not know people’s needs and preferences as well,” Dunn said.
The CQC also found that while staff were debriefed after incidents, there was no clear system for sharing lessons or identifying trends across the trust.
The trust remains rated as good overall, but the CQC has said it will continue to monitor services and conduct further inspections to ensure improvements are made.