17 November 2022, 22 November 2022 and 23 November 2022
During an inspection of Acute wards for adults of working age and psychiatric intensive care units
We carried out this unannounced inspection because, at our last inspection, we rated acute wards for adults of working age as requires improvement.
Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust has 9 acute wards for adults of working age and 2 psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs). The wards are situated across two sites: Highgate Centre for Mental Health and St Pancras Hospital. During the inspection, we visited Rosewood and Sapphire Wards at St Pancras. We visited Coral (PICU), Opal and Topaz Wards at Highgate Centre for Mental Health. Rosewood and Sapphire Wards at St Pancras had 12 beds. The acute wards at Highgate had 16-17 beds. The PICU had 12 beds. Whilst our inspection activities focused on these wards, most of the data we reviewed covered all 11 wards within this core service.
The previous comprehensive inspection of this core service was in October and November 2019. At that inspection, we rated the service as requires improvement. We rated the service as ‘requires improvement’ for the domains of safe and responsive.
Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust is registered to provide the following regulated activities:
- Assessment or medical treatment for persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1983
- Diagnostic and screening procedures
- Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.
Our rating of acute wards for adults of working age and psychiatric intensive care units services improved. We rated them as good because:
- The ward environments were safe and clean. Staff managed risk well. They minimised the use of restrictive practices, managed medicines safely and followed good practice with respect to safeguarding
- Staff developed 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
- The 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 and with those outside the ward who would have a role in providing aftercare
- Staff understood and discharged most of 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 managed beds well so that a bed was always available locally to a person who would benefit from admission and patients were discharged promptly once their condition warranted this
- The service was well led and the governance processes ensured that ward procedures ran smoothly
However,
- The wards did not have enough permanent nurses
- Less than 75% of staff had completed required training in basic and intermediate life support however there were plans in place for this training to be delivered.
- Staff did not always ensure that clinical equipment was sufficiently checked to ensure readings were accurate
- Staff did not receive specific training to meet the needs of some of their patients, specifically patients with autism and learning disabilities although training was planned.
- Staff did not always inform patients detained under the Mental Health Act of how the Act applied to them and their rights to appeal against detention in a timely manner
- The trust did not have clear policies and procedures on how to address abuse towards staff.
How we carried out the inspection
During this inspection, the inspection team:
- visited five wards, including one ward visited unannounced in the evening
- conducted a review of the environment on each ward and observed staff supporting patients
- spoke with four ward managers
- spoke with 24 staff including registered nurses, support workers and activity co-ordinators
- spoke with the director of hospital services and a Mental Health Act manager
- spoke with 3 doctors
- spoke with 7 patients
- reviewed the records for 14 patients
- reviewed the medication charts for 13 patients
- attended handover meetings, safety huddles, multidisciplinary team meetings and a community meeting
- reviewed other documents, performance data and policies relating to the running of the service
You can find further information about how we carry out our inspections on our website: https://www.cqc.org.uk/what-we-do/how-we-do-our-job/what-we-do-inspection.
What people who use the service say
Patients were generally positive about the service and felt safe on the wards. They said that it could be frustrating that they were unable to leave the ward whenever they wanted to but, overall, they said the service was good. Patients said that staff were caring and listened to what they said. They enjoyed activities such as reading, art, cooking and music.
Patients said that doctors were good. They were able to give their views on their care and they felt that their treatments were helping them to get better.