Cygnet Aspen Clinic

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• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

This means we looked for evidence that the service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question as good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

The service treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. They promoted patient’s independence, so they knew their rights and had choice and control over their care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff followed appropriate policies to maintain confidentiality.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We always treat people with kindness, empathy and compassion and we respect their privacy and dignity. We treat colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Staff attitudes and behaviours when interacting with patients showed that they were discreet, respectful and responsive, providing patients with help, emotional support and advice at the time they needed it. Patients told us that staff were generally very helpful and kind, and knocked on the door before entering their rooms. Staff spoke about and discussed patients in a respectful and caring manner.

The privacy and dignity of patients on enhanced or one-to-one observations was taken into account. Staff assessed the patient’s risks, and balanced this against determining if, for example, it was safe for them to use the bathroom unobserved.

Staff supported patients to understand and manage their care, treatment or condition. Patients told us that staff listened to them, and that some staff in particular went out of their way to help them.

Staff directed patients to other services when appropriate and, if required, supported them to access those services. This included attending hospital appointments, taking part in activities or visiting relatives, and supporting people to visit potential future services or accommodation.

Staff said they could raise concerns about disrespectful, discriminatory or abusive behaviour or attitudes towards patients without fear of the consequences.

We treat people as individuals and make sure their care, support and treatment meets their needs and preferences, taking account of their strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

The service could support and make adjustments for people with mobility problems or specific communication needs. All patients had an individual bedroom with an ensuite shower/wet room. The service was on two floors, with a staff-operated lift between them. Managers told us that they took account of people’s needs, and how the service could meet them as part of the pre-admission assessment process.

There were several autistic people in the service. Patients were positive about the changes that had been made to support their needs. This included individualised care and PBS plans, communication cards, and changes to the environment (dimming bedroom lights and implementing the sensory room). The number of staff attending multidisciplinary team meetings had been reduced, and adaptations had been made to the dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) programme so that it better suited their perception and communication needs.

Staff understood the individual needs of patients, including their personal, cultural, social and religious needs. Staff ensured that patients had access to appropriate spiritual support. Religious materials, such as the Bible or Koran, and prayer mats were available. Patients could be supported to attend for religious worship, for example by going to church or synagogue.

Staff ensured that patients could obtain information on treatments, local services, patients’ rights, how to complain and so on. This information was on display on noticeboards throughout the service. Most patients had their own mobile phone or device, and could access information online. An advocacy service and expert by experience regularly visited the service and provided guidance and support.

The information provided was in a form accessible to the particular patient group. This included in an easy read format when required.

Managers ensured that staff and patients had easy access to interpreters and/or signers. Managers told us that most patients spoke English either as their first language, or fluently. However, staff could source information leaflets in different languages and interpreters or signers when required.

Patients had a choice of food to meet the dietary requirements of religious and ethnic groups and to account for allergies and intolerances. Clinical and catering staff identified patients’ needs and preferences, and whilst most food was cooked onsite, alternatives could be bought in if necessary. This included, for example, people needing or choosing diabetic or gluten-free diets, kosher or halal food, or vegetarian or vegan diets.

We promote people’s independence, so they know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment, and wellbeing.

Patients attended daily meetings, where their plans for the day and any issues were discussed. Staff encouraged patients to engage in activities, but tried to involve people in making choices about what they wanted to do as much as possible. This included activities on the ward, and also in the community.

Patients were supported to attend multidisciplinary team meetings. Staff approached patients to discuss their care plans the week before the meeting, so that they had time to think about what was working for them, and what they would like to change. Changes had been made to improve care for autistic people in the service. This included individualised care plans and positive behavioural support (PBS) plans, communication cards, and the changed bedroom lights and sensory room. Occupational therapy and psychology staff had adapted their ways of working with autistic people. Changes had been made such as reducing the number of staff attending multidisciplinary team meetings, so that it was less overwhelming.

Patients had access to independent mental health advocacy (IMHA) and an expert by experience (EbyE). Both regularly visited the service, and supported patients. The EbyE also worked with patients in considering improvements to the service, and discussing these with managers.

We listen to and understand people’s needs, views and wishes. We respond to these in that moment and will act to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Staff were aware of and dealt with any specific risk issues, such as self-harm, and care planned for these accordingly. Staff identified and responded to changing risks to, or posed by, patients. Staff completed a risk assessment for all patients, and this was reviewed by the multidisciplinary team each day. The potential level of risk was considered, and any necessary action taken. This included routinely reviewing each patient’s level of observation.

Staff used de-escalation techniques to reduce the need for physical interventions when patients’ behaviours became heightened. All patients had a positive behavioural support (PBS) plan, where patients and staff identified potential triggers and preferred responses. Staff were aware of the potential for physical restraint to be retraumatising, and only used this as a last resort. They tried to de-escalate first by talking with the patient, or using other techniques to reduce or distract them from their distress. Patients could access to self-soothing items, such as ice packs which they had free access to, and the sensory room. Patient feedback about staff interventions was generally positive. Changes had been made to the physical environment to make it more calming for patients. This included reducing the brightness of lighting in bedrooms, introducing a silent emergency alarm system, and the development of a sensory room.

There were appropriate systems and guidance in place to support staff in responding to immediate needs. There were nurse call alarms in bedrooms and staff carried personal alarms to summon urgent help when required. Staff had ready access to emergency medical equipment, oxygen and a defibrillator if required.

We care about and promote the wellbeing of our staff, and we support and enable them to always deliver person centred care.

Staff felt respected, supported and valued. 96% of staff had responded to the recent staff survey. Overall, staff gave positive feedback about their experience of working at the service. Staff were mostly positive about the service and said morale was good, although there were times when the service was very busy and it could be stressful. They said that managers were generally supportive, responsive and available. Staff gave examples of where they had been well supported.

Staff had access to support for their own physical and emotional health needs through an occupational health service, and a counselling service. The average short term sickness rate over the 12 months up to May 2025 was 2.3%, ranging from 0.7% in January 2025 to 4.3% in June 2024. The provider has a sickness monitoring process, and access to an occupational health service if required. At the time of inspection there were no staff on long term sickness. The provider has an employee assistance programme that staff can access.

Managers had developed facilities for staff, to improve their working environment. This included a new staff room with a coffee machine, cooking equipment and space to sit and eat. There were comfort boxes in the toilets that included items such as deodorants and sanitary products.

The provider recognised staff success within the service. There was a monthly staff award, and the successful person received a certificate and gift voucher.

Staff appraisals included conversations about career development and how it could be supported. Staff had been supported to undertake developmental training following appraisals.

There were processes for staff to feedback, raise concerns and suggest ways to improve the service. This included through supervision and team meetings. There was a Staff Relations Group, led by a different manager, which was a forum for staff to talk about site management issues away from their line managers.