Whistleblower reveals safety concerns at Lincolnshire's acute mental health units
An employee says morale at Lincolnshire's acute mental units is low
A whistleblower is claiming Lincolnshire's acute mental health units are understaffed and patients are at risk of avoidable harm.
The anonymous employee says there aren't enough workers to keep people safe with low morale and a high turnover of staff.
The individual says they are speaking out after attempts to raise concerns which they believe internally have been ignored.
“I would really worry if it was my friend or family member in here,” they said.
The trust can hire agency staff, but they just aren’t getting enough for whatever reason
“It’s got to the point where there could be really serious preventable harm to patients.
"Things haven’t been great for a long time."
"The trust can hire agency staff, but they just aren’t getting enough for whatever reason."
“When you consider all the patients that might need several members of staff to keep them safe and from self-harming, the maths just doesn’t add up.
“The big concern is that if staff have to rush to deal with a serious incident where there’s a threat to life, there isn’t anyone left if anything else happens.”
The trust has been approached for a response
They say demand on the wards is rising, but they are trying to increase recruitment and have policies to ensure safety.
They also say they listen to any concerns raised.
We take the safety of our patients and staff very seriously
Sharon Harvey, Chief Nursing Officer (Quality and Professions) at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said:
“We take the safety of our patients and staff very seriously and we always listen to any concerns raised and take action.
“Over recent years, we have been addressing the changing needs and challenges of providing acute mental health care and continue to do so."
“Twice a year, we conduct a thorough review of all of our staffing establishments across wards."
"This review takes into account national guidance, patient needs, clinical and professional judgement, as well as feedback from both staff and patients and this has led to increases in staffing over recent years."
We are working closely with ward teams, patients, and carers to explore more ways to further improve the ward experience
“We know however that recruitment to mental health wards is a challenge nationally, and we have been working proactively to recruit to these areas."
"Where we do have vacancies or unfilled shifts, we always try and source temporary staff, or have in place measures to ensure the safety of our wards."
“Demand and need on our wards has increased and can fluctuate daily. "
"To manage any increase, we have local escalation processes in place, and as far as possible co-locate wards with other crisis and inpatient services so that other staff can respond and support with any immediate risk."
"Finally, we are working closely with ward teams, patients, and carers to explore more ways to further improve the ward experience."
"For example, we have signed up to take part in a number of national improvement programmes to ensure we are adopting best practices and tackling any ongoing concerns.”