Archived: The Priory Hospital Brighton & Hove

Updated 13 June 2016

The Priory Hospital Brighton and Hove is part of the Priory Group and is an independent provider of psychiatric care and therapy for a range of mental health conditions including anxiety and depression as well as addictions. The hospital is a single ward 17-bed mixed-gender unit. The service provides day care, outpatient and inpatient treatments, mainly for patients who fund their own treatment but also for some NHS patients.

Updated 13 June 2016

We rated The Priory Hospital Brighton and Hove as good because:

• Staff delivered care and treatment to patients in a kind, caring manner that respected their dignity.
• Patients told us they felt safe and well cared for on the ward. Staff managed patient safety by appropriate use of observations.
• Staff mandatory training was up to date and managers had completed appraisals of staff’s work performance.
• Staff covered all shifts and did not have to cancel therapy sessions or escorted patient leave
• Patient care plans showed good levels of patient involvement. Patients were involved in their care and given the opportunity to raise issues with the ward managers at a weekly community meeting.
• Patients received an induction pack when staff admitted them to the ward
• Nurses, doctors and other health professionals worked well together to provide safe and effective care and treatment to the patients. We observed a thorough and effective patient-focussed staff handover.
• We saw evidence of an excellent working relationship between the ward and pharmacy services.
• Therapy staff had received training in effective, research-proven therapeutic techniques, including cognitive behavioural therapy and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing.
• The hospital managers were a visible presence on the ward and made themselves known to staff and patients. Staff said managers were accessible and approachable.
• Staff had effective working relationships with surrounding NHS trusts and local authorities.

However:

• We observed numerous blind spots and potential ligature points (places to which patients intent on self-harm might tie something to strangle themselves) on the ward.
• Staff did not demonstrate clear understanding of the Mental Capacity Act.
• Staff did not demonstrate a clear understanding of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards legislation, which could have a detrimental effect on patients’ liberty and rights.
• Not all informal patients (those not subject to the Mental Health Act) understood that they could leave the ward at any time.

Updated 13 June 2016

The overall care provided at the hospital was good with enough staff to cover shifts and provide care.  However, the ward did not meet the standard on same sex accommodation.

Some staff showed a lack of understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and the implications this may have for patients.