The Care Quality Commission
  • Mental Health
  • NHS mental health service

Archived: Cherry Knowle Hospital

Stockton Road, Ryhope, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR2 0NB (0191) 565 6256

Provided and run by:
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

All Inspections

23, 24 July 2013

During a routine inspection

Patients were asked for their permission before care and treatment was delivered. One patient commented, 'Yes, I was asked for my consent. I'm happy for the nurses and doctors to look after me. They do it well. They've got time for you.' One family member also commented, 'When my relative came here, I was interviewed by staff. They wanted to find out as much about my relative as they could so they could help them...'

We found patients had their needs assessed and this information was used to develop personalised care plans. Relatives told us they were asked for their views during the initial assessment. We found the wards we visited were clean, tidy and well maintained. Both wards were due to close within the next 12 months and patients would be moving to new purpose built hospital accommodation. There were generally enough staff to meet patient's needs on both wards. However, some staff and patients on Rosewood told us they sometimes had to wait for things such as having a bath and medication. Staff told us they would like more time to chat with patients and liaise with relatives.

The provider had a range of audit systems in place to ensure the quality of the care and treatment provided. We found patients and their relatives were asked for their views about the service and these views were acted upon.

As part of this inspection, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) liaised with other statutory bodies to identify an overall view of how the trust was performing and any areas of concern. Contact was made with Healthwatch England, NHS England and Monitor, and their views were taken into account in arriving at the judgements on compliance.

No specific areas of concern affecting this inspection were received from local Healthwatch England, the independent consumer champion for health and social care.

Monitor has the responsibility for ensuring foundation trusts, such as Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, are well led in terms of quality and finance. CQC received confirmation that apart from one recently received concern, Monitor had no other significant concerns regarding the trust. The issues raised by the specific concern were looked at during this inspection and are the subject of ongoing review by CQC.

NHS England has the responsibility for commissioning services and ensuring the provision of high quality services. The Cumbria, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear Area Team had the view that the trust is providing good care but had some questions about specific services and broader issues such as restraint policy. CQC was made aware that these, as well as quality and workforce issues, restraint and specific serious untoward incidents, will be discussed with the trust through a meeting of the Quality Review Group in September 2013. These issues are subject to ongoing monitoring by CQC and have been taken into account in the judgements made in this report.

1 March 2011

During a routine inspection

On the assessment ward people told us that they were treated with dignity and respect. People were encouraged to retain their independence through attending the kitchen assistant group. Prior to discharge people attended a discharge group where the level and amount of help and support they felt they may need to be able to return home was discussed. People told us that they were fully involved in reviewing their care. One person told us in detail about their agreed discharge arrangements and the support being offered to them by the relevant health care professionals.

On the assessment ward people told us that a range of health care professionals were involved in their care. People were eager to tell us who their named nurses were. (Each person was allocated a named nurse on admission to ensure that their care needs were met but also to act as a lead responsible for co-ordinating care).