Cygnet Aspen House

Updated 26 July 2022

Cygnet Aspen House is a high dependency long stay rehabilitation hospital provided by Cygnet Behavioural Health Limited. The hospital, located in the small town of Mexborough, South Yorkshire, provides care and treatment for women who have severe and enduring mental illness.

The hospital consists of 20 beds.

The hospital is registered to carry out the following regulated activities:

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

Treatment of disease, disorder and or injury

At the time of the inspection, there were 19 patients at the hospital, all of whom were detained under the Mental Health Act.

We last inspected Cygnet Aspen House in May 2018. At that time, the service was rated overall good. We rated good in the effective, caring, responsive and well-led domains. We rated the safe domain as requires improvement due to concerns at that time. On this inspection, we found that the service had addressed these concerns.

What people who use the service say

During our inspection, we spoke with eight patients using the service and the relatives of five patients.

Patients told us they felt safe at the hospital and within the environment. They liked the staff and said there was always a staff member to speak to. They knew their rehabilitation goals and how to access advocacy support. All patients felt the food was good and there were different options to choose from. They told us that the staff encouraged them to eat healthily. One patient thought the external grounds at the hospital needed some improvements.

Relatives were all positive about the care their loved ones were receiving. They told us staff facilitated visits well, that they were invited to key meetings and kept informed of any changes. They all felt staff were polite, warm and caring. They felt assured that staff were familiar and consistent. They knew how to raise a complaint. One relative told us of a previous concern which they raised with hospital managers. They told us this was responded to and addressed satisfactorily. They mostly found the environment clean and calm. However, one relative felt the hospital exterior could look more inviting.

Updated 26 July 2022

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

The service provided safe care. The ward environments were 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 provided a range of treatments suitable to the needs of the patients cared for in a mental health rehabilitation ward and in line with national guidance about best practice. Staff engaged in clinical audit to evaluate the quality of care they provided.

The ward team included 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 and with those outside the ward who would have a role in providing aftercare.

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 and understood the individual needs of patients. They encouraged involvement from patients and families in care decisions.

Staff planned and managed discharge well and liaised well with services that would provide aftercare. As a result, discharge was rarely delayed for other than a clinical reason.

The service worked to a clear model of mental health rehabilitation. It was well led, and the governance processes ensured that ward procedures ran smoothly.

However:

Patient’s care plans had limited reference to long term goals or a holistic approach including all aspects of their care and treatment.

Managers did not ensure staff had access to regular team meetings.

Patient’s privacy and dignity was not always maintained when they were given their medications.

Updated 26 July 2022