- Independent mental health service
Cygnet Aspen House
Assessment report published 10 August 2026
Contents
Ratings - Long stay or rehabilitation mental health wards for working age adults
Our view of the service
Date of inspection: Between 28 April 2026 and 12 May 2026.
Cygnet Behavioural Health Limited provides long stay or rehabilitation mental health wards for working age adults at Cygnet Aspen House. At the time of the inspection, the service provided treatment and care for women with severe and enduring mental illness. Patients could be detained under the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act or informal patients. The service had 20 beds. At the time of our inspection there were 14 patients admitted to the ward.
We rated the service as Good. We found 1 breach of the regulations in relation to good governance.
Patients were safe and protected from avoidable harm and safety incidents were managed well. Staff worked well together as a team to benefit patients and the hospital worked well with other agencies. Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness and sought their feedback on the care provided. However, governance systems were not always effective in identifying or addressing areas for improvement, such as recommendations from the last inspection, security checks and 1 to 1 sessions were not consistently offered in line with the providers policy.
Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act Compliance Summary
Most staff completed mandatory training in the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding (DoLS), Mental Health Act, the Code of Practice and the guiding principles.
The staff we spoke with had a good understanding of mental capacity and were confident about how to assess it. Staff told us they took all practical steps to enable patients to make their own decisions and provided good examples regarding raising safeguarding concerns.
Patients had easy access to information about independent mental health advocacy.
We reviewed 6 care records and found evidence that people's needs were met in line with current guidance and by undertaking capacity assessments and best interest decisions when appropriate. All detained patients were made aware of their rights under the Mental Health Act and patient restrictions were regularly reviewed to maximise their independence.
Multi-disciplinary team discussions involved the patient, and patient's family where appropriate, in decision making and planning care and treatment. The hospital had good governance, including compliance audits, in place to ensure staff provided evidence-based care and treatment.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with 3 patients, observed a patients engagement council which was attended by 5 patients, spoke with 5 relatives of patients and reviewed results from a service user survey.
Patients and relatives told us staff treated them, with respect and dignity, and that they felt safe. “I can’t speak more highly of the staff” and “The interactions I have observed have been positive.”
Staff encouraged and developed ways for people to access things that were important to them, for example, cultural and spiritual support.
Patients told us the food was good and met the dietary requirements of religious and ethnic groups and accounted for allergies and intolerances.
Information was provided on treatments, local services, patients’ rights and how to complain. Patients told us “Staff discuss my care plan and treatment with me. [They] also discuss my discharge.” Patients had easy access to independent mental health advocacy.
Relatives told us “I get invited to all meetings, I attend some via [videocall], and I also attend the best-interest meetings in-person. They always make sure my voice is heard.”