Cygnet Elowen Hospital

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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

Caring – 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

This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care. Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness. They respected patients’ privacy and dignity. Most staff understood the individual needs of patients and supported patients to understand and manage their care, treatment or condition well. Staff improved in how they involved patients in care planning and risk assessment and sought their feedback on the quality of care provided. Staff improved in how thye informed and involved families and carers appropriately.

We have not awarded this service a score for Caring.

Find out about when we will not publish a key question score and what we look at when we assess Caring.

The service treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Staff treated patients with kindness, compassion and respect and promoted their privacy and dignity. Patients generally described staff as caring, approachable and supportive. One patient told us, “The staff are lovely, and kind. I know they really care and want the best for me.”

We observed staff interactions with patients during informal conversations, ward-based activity and ward rounds. Staff were attentive and responsive to patients and provided emotional support when needed. During ward rounds, patients were able to express their views openly, including when they disagreed with staff, and staff listened and responded respectfully.

Staff carried out observations in a respectful and discreet manner and remained attentive to patients’ needs. Staff understood the importance of maintaining patients’ dignity and privacy while providing support and care.

Patients spoke particularly positively about permanent staff, describing stronger relationships and a greater understanding of their individual needs. Some patients felt that interactions with bank and agency staff were less consistent, as temporary staff were not always as familiar with their needs and routines. This did not result in concerns about the safety or dignity of care, but patients described permanent staff as providing more consistent and compassionate support.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of patients’ individual needs and provided support in a considerate manner.

The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff treated patients as individuals and considered their individual needs, preferences, strengths and circumstances when planning and delivering care. Care plans included information about patients’ backgrounds, preferences, communication needs and individual goals, which staff used to inform their support and treatment.

Staff understood the importance of providing person-centred support for patients with eating disorders and tailored care to individual needs, including support with meals and nutrition. Care records we reviewed evidenced that patients were involved in discussions about their care and staff responded to their preferences and requests. This was also mostly reflected in patient’s feedback.

Staff considered patients’ personal, cultural, social and religious needs. Patients had access to food that reflected their dietary requirements, allergies and intolerances, and could access appropriate spiritual support where required. Staff also ensured patients could access information about their care, treatment, rights and how to raise concerns.

Staff assessed patients’ communication needs and made appropriate adjustments to support effective communication. Patients could access information and support in a way that met their individual needs, including access to interpreting or other communication support where required.

The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff promoted patients’ independence and supported them to have choice and control over their care, treatment and daily lives. Staff involved patients in discussions about their care and treatment and supported them to express their views, preferences and wishes. Patients were able to ask questions and challenge decisions when they disagreed, and staff responded respectfully.

Staff supported patients to understand and exercise their rights, including their rights under the Mental Health Act. Patients had access to information about their rights and independent advocacy and were supported to make informed choices about their care.

Patients had opportunities to make choices about their daily routines, activities and treatment. Staff supported patients to maintain relationships with family and friends and, where appropriate, access the local community through Section 17 leave. Staff considered patients’ individual circumstances when supporting their independence and helped them develop skills that promoted recovery.

The independent advocate shared some concerns that informal patients had felt discouraged from taking leave from the ward, including through the way recommended leave times were communicated. However, we found improvements in how staff supported patients to understand and exercise their rights. During ward rounds, patients confidently expressed their views and challenged staff when they disagreed, and staff listened and responded respectfully to their wishes and requests.

Patients had access to a range of groups and activities, which provided opportunities to develop interests, build confidence and maintain independence.

The service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Staff responded promptly to patients’ immediate physical, emotional and psychological needs and acted to minimise distress or discomfort. Staff knew patients well and were alert to changes in their presentation, mood, behaviour and physical health. Staff used care plans, risk assessments, observations and physical health monitoring to identify changing needs and respond appropriately.

Staff identified and managed specific risks, including risks relating to physical health, mobility and pressure ulcers, and put appropriate measures in place to reduce these risks. Staff escalated concerns to the appropriate professionals when patients’ needs changed or when additional support was required.

Staff used de-escalation techniques to respond to patients when they became distressed or their behaviour heightened. Staff were trained in appropriate techniques and understood the importance of using the least restrictive response. We observed staff providing reassurance and emotional support and responding respectfully to patients’ concerns.

Patients were able to approach staff when they needed support and staff responded to their requests. Staff considered patients’ individual circumstances and preferences when responding to immediate needs, including during mealtimes and other potentially distressing situations.

We did not look at Workforce wellbeing and enablement during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Caring.