Essex mental health service needs improvement, says CQC
Concerns have been raised over safety and care at Ipswich Road facility
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has downgraded the rating of Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust's long-stay and rehabilitation mental health wards from good to requires improvement.
An inspection of the wards located at 439 Ipswich Road, which provide care for up to 11 adults, took place last November.
CQC's report highlights several areas of concern, including leadership failing to act promptly on safety issues raised by staff and people in their care. Instances of safeguarding incidents affecting physical or sexual safety were not adequately investigated or reported to the local authority or CQC.
The inspection also found that two people were admitted without proper risk assessments due to bed shortages, compromising staff’s ability to safeguard them and others.
Concerns were raised about safety issues, including a large hole in the garden fence that was reported by a person with suicidal thoughts. Subsequently, the trust took measures to address urgent matters, such as filing retrospective incident reports and increasing staff numbers.
Stuart Dunn, CQC deputy director of mental health in the East of England, said urgent actions have been taken, but leaders knew about these issues and should have acted earlier.
Other findings noted limited face-to-face access to clinicians, confidentiality concerns, and maintenance issues with ligatures and fire risks present.
Despite these issues, people reported that staff were friendly, supportive, and respectful. The staff were noted for helping individuals make decisions and gain independence.
Paul Scott, Chief Executive of Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), said: “We welcome the CQC’s feedback and are committed to working with them as we continue to focus on the transformation of our mental health services to ensure all patients receive the consistently high quality and therapeutic care they deserve.”