Cygnet St Augustine's

Updated 29 February 2024

Cygnet St Augustine’s is an independent mental health hospital.

St. Augustine’s provides specialist enhanced locked rehabilitation services for up to 32 male patients of working age.

Patients may be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 or subject to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

At the time of the inspection the location had a registered manager.

The provider is registered with the care quality commission to provide:

• Assessment or treatment for persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1983

• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The hospital is located in a modern, purpose-built building with one ward located across two floors.

The hospital was last inspected in January 2018. The rating was good in all domains and good overall. At the last inspection we told the provider that they should:

• Ensure that assessments of the capacity to consent to treatment and clinical notes include records of the detail of the discussions between the clinician and the patient.
• Ensure that care plans show needs, goals and outcomes that are related to the patients’ recovery and rehabilitation.

At this inspection we found that the service had addressed all these issues.

What people who use the service say

Patients and carers told us that they found the ward clean and comfortable. Patients told us that the environment was spacious and calming. One patient told us that the ward could get noisy due to other patients being loud, but staff were supportive and helped reduce this where they could.

Patients told us that that staff were friendly, supportive and respectful. Patients said they felt safe on the ward and that staff were always visible. One patient told us that there were always enough staff but would like more support in the summer months as most patients liked to go out on trips more often at this time and this can be difficult to accommodate.

Patients told us that they like the facilities and activities within the hospital. They told us that there were lots of things to do and they had regularly gone out to access the community.

Patients told us that they were happy with their care and that they were involved in the care planning process. Families and carers told us that they were actively involved in meetings and communication was positive.

Most patients told us that the food was varied and of a good quality however one patient told us that they would like more alternatives and another patient told us that they would like food that reflected their individual culture.

Patients told us that there were opportunities to give feedback in patient community meetings and that staff listen and will take action when they can.

Patient also told us that they knew how to complain and were satisfied with manager response when complains or concerns had been raised.

Updated 29 February 2024

Our rating of this location stayed the same. We rated it as good because:

• The service provided safe care. The ward environment was safe and clean. The wards had enough nurses and doctors. Staff assessed and managed risk well. They minimised the use of restrictive practices, managed medicines safely and followed good practice with respect to safeguarding.
• Staff developed holistic, recovery-oriented care plans informed by a comprehensive assessment. They provided a range of treatments suitable to the needs of the patients and in line with national guidance about best practice. Staff engaged in clinical audit to evaluate the quality of care they provided.
• Ward teams included or had access to the full range of specialists required to meet the needs of patients on the wards. Managers ensured that these staff received training, supervision and appraisal. The ward staff worked well together as a multidisciplinary team.
• Staff understood and discharged their roles and responsibilities under the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and understood the individual needs of patients. They actively involved patients and families and carers in care decisions.
• The service was well led, and the governance processes ensured that ward procedures ran smoothly.

However,

• There were items within the clinic area that were out of date.
• Some staff did not know how to check the capacity of oxygen cylinders.

Updated 29 February 2024