- Independent mental health service
The Priory Hospital Hayes Grove
Assessment report published 19 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
The Priory Hospital Hayes Grove is an independent hospital providing inpatient care and treatment for adults with mental health conditions, eating disorders and substance misuse needs. The service provides care for men and women aged 18 and over, with a total of 46 inpatient beds.
Lower Court is an acute private inpatient client ward providing care for up to 17 men and women. The ward supports individuals requiring treatment for mental health conditions as well as those engaging in the specialist addictions programme.
Clients on Lower Court ward are encouraged to take increasing responsibility for their recovery as they progress through their admission, with a particular focus on structured discharge planning. A range of individual and group therapeutic interventions is available throughout their stay.
The ward environment is designed to be safe, therapeutic and recovery-oriented, while maintaining dignity, privacy and inclusivity across genders.
The ward’s philosophy centres on compassionate; recovery focused, evidence-based care delivered within a structured and supportive setting. Its therapeutic model integrates medical oversight with psychological therapies, emphasising patient-centred practice. The service aims to build resilience, promote independence, and equip individuals with the skills required to maintain recovery and successfully reintegrate clients into the community.
The service is registered to provide care for the following regulated activities:
Accommodation for persons who require treatment for substance misuse
• Assessment or medical treatment for persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1983
• Diagnostic and screening procedures
• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
The service had a registered manager in place at the time of this inspection.
This was an announced focused inspection of the service. We looked at two domains safe and well led.
At the time of the assessment, 9 people were receiving treatment for substance misuse at the service.
We spoke with 6 staff members, 3 patients. We also reviewed the care and treatment records of 4 patients.
At our previous assessment, the overall location rating is Good. The key question Safe was Requires Improvement, the key questions Effective, Caring and Responsive and Well-Led was Good.
At this assessment, the overall location rating is Good. The key question Safe has changed to Good. The key questions Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-Led have remained Good.
The team that inspected the service comprised of 2 CQC Inspectors.
We found the following areas of good practice:
- The service developed holistic, recovery-oriented care plans informed by a comprehensive assessment.
- The service had ensured that staff had received the necessary training appropriate to the client group.
- We saw evidence of client centred discussions in Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings.
- People and carers praised the staff as incredibly professional, sharing their view that The Priory Hospital Hayes Grove “helpful, and supportive.”
Mental Capacity Act Compliance
Mental Capacity Act
The service delivered care within a clear legal framework with appropriate application of the Mental Capacity Act and robust consent processes supporting safe and effective care for informal clients.
Staff completed capacity assessments on admission and demonstrated an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and its five statutory principles. Staff demonstrated an understanding of the impact on capacity when under the influence of substances, and how this was managed.
Clients were provided with clear explanations about their care and treatment and given sufficient time to consider information before consenting.
Staff applied the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in practice. Staff followed service policy when assessing and recording capacity, and documentation demonstrated that clients were supported to make informed decisions.
The service delivered care within an appropriate legal framework for informal clients.
Training in both the Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act was mandatory. Compliance with Mental Capacity Act training was 72.7% at the time of inspection, while Mental Health Act training compliance was 70%. Remaining staff were booked on for training soon after the inspection. The service also informed us that training had been planned to support ongoing improvements and development of staff practice. Improvements were required to ensure full compliance with mandatory training, particularly in relation to the Mental Health Act, to support consistent and up-to-date documentation.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with 3 clients during this inspection.
Overall, people spoke very positively about the service, consistently describing staff as helpful and supportive. All clients reported that they felt safe, well informed about their care and treatment, and treated as individuals. Care and treatment were frequently described as life changing, with some clients stating it had “saved their life” and exceeded expectations. Clients particularly valued the structured therapeutic programmes and the supportive relationships formed with staff.