- Independent mental health service
Cygnet Hospital Colchester
Assessment report published 17 February 2026
Contents
Ratings - Acute wards for adults of working age and psychiatric intensive care units
Our view of the service
Highwoods ward at Cygnet Hospital Colchester is an independent hospital ward which provides 19 beds and is a men’s acute inpatient service.
Cygnet Learning Disabilities Ltd is the registered provider. The hospital is registered with the Care Quality Commission to carry out the following regulated activities:
• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
• Assessment or medical treatment for persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1983
The service had a registered manager.
The Care Quality Commission last inspected this location in June 2021 where the service was rated good in all domains, and we found no breaches of the Health and Social Care Act regulations (2008).
We carried out an inspection on the 03 and 04 December 2025 due to an aged rating; at this time there were 17 patients admitted to the ward.
At this inspection we found that the service was performing well and is meeting our expectations.
Our View of the Service
The service provided safe care, the environment was pleasant, safe and clean. The ward had enough staff and had access to the full range of specialists to meet the needs of patients. Staff minimised the use of restrictive practices and followed good practice with respect to safeguarding. Staff completed thorough risk assessments of the ward and individualised risk assessments with patients and updated these regularly and/or when risk changed. Managers ensured that staff received training, supervision and appraisal and had developed strategies to support staff wellbeing and recognise staff achievements. Feedback from patients and carers about the service was mostly positive. Most patients told us they felt safe, and that staff were caring and treated them with kindness and respect.
Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act Compliance
Mental Health Act
The service admitted patients under the Mental Health Act 1983. At the time of the inspection, 14 patients were detained under the Mental Health Act (MHA) and 3 had been admitted as informal patients.
Staff received and kept up to date with training on the Mental Health Act and the Mental Health Act Code of Practice. Mental Health Act Code of Practice training was mandatory for staff, and the compliance rate was 100%.
Staff had access to support and advice on implementing the Mental Health Act and its Code of Practice. Staff could receive assistance from the Mental Health Act administrator at the hospital and a regional Mental Health Act administrator.
The service had clear and relevant and up-to-date policies and procedures that reflected all relevant legislation and the Mental Health Act Code of Practice.
Staff explained to each patient their rights under the Mental Health Act and repeated as necessary, recording it clearly in the patients’ notes each time.
Staff made sure patients could take section 17 leave (permission to leave the hospital) when this was agreed with the responsible clinician.
Mental Capacity Act
Staff received and kept up to date with training in the Mental Capacity Act and had a good understanding of the five principles. Training on the Mental Capacity Act was mandatory for staff, and the compliance rate was 100%.
Staff completed an assessment of each patients’ capacity to consent to admission and treatment on admission. Further assessments took place during weekly reviews by the multi-disciplinary team.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with 7 patients during the inspection. Some patients felt safe on the ward, but some told us they did not due to aggressive behaviour from other patients they had witnessed. We spent time observing daily life and routines to help us to understand their experiences. Staff were caring, knew their patients well and we saw that people were offered choices. This included choices of food and drinks, activities and where people chose to spend their time.
The patients gave positive opinions on the food with 6 saying it was of good quality.
Patients told us there were enough staff on the ward. Most patients said staff treated them with kindness and respect.
We spoke with 2 carers or family members of patients. Both carers we spoke with felt their loved ones were receiving good care and spoke highly of staff. One carer told us that a staff member knew their relative so well they recognised the patient was unwell and sought physical health support that ensured the patient was safe. Both carers said the environment was always clean and tidy, 1 commenting the space was not busy or overwhelming. One carer noted all staff had worked so hard to help their relative and could see they were all trying. They also noted that this was the best place that the patient had been and was a much better hospital than others they had experienced. They also felt well supported by staff when they had had their own questions.
One carer described their relative finding it difficult to locate staff when they needed something and had difficulty speaking with staff on occasion if they missed the weekly MDT meeting.