The Care Quality Commission
  • Mental Health
  • Independent mental health service

Cygnet St. Williams Also known as Cygnet Behavioural Health Limited

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Cornwall Avenue, Heaton Moore, Darlington, DL1 2LJ (01325) 638710

Provided and run by:
Cygnet Behavioural Health Limited

All Inspections

During an assessment of Services for people with acquired brain injury

Our view of this service (Overall Summary)

Cygnet St. Williams is a 12-bed neuropsychiatric service offering care and treatment to men affected by acquired brain injuries and progressive neurological disease such as Huntington’s Disease.

The hospital has been designed specifically to provide a clinically led evidence based neuropsychiatric pathway for those individuals presenting with behaviours that challenge.

The service offers a wide range of activities and facilities to promote independent function. Positive behaviour goals are focused on discharge planning to support patients to return to the community, either with support or independently.

We inspected Cygnet St. Williams on 11 and 12 November 2025. This was a comprehensive inspection. It was unannounced, which means staff were not aware we were coming. The reasons for the inspection were because it formed part of our routine inspection schedule and the service had not been inspected since March 2022.

Our inspection team comprised two Care Quality Commission inspectors, an expert by experience, a specialist nurse acting as an advisor to the Care Quality Commission and a regulatory coordinator.

Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act Compliance Summary

All staff within the service had completed mandatory Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act training and were able to evidence their understanding of the Acts.

Capacity assessments were carried out appropriately on a decision-specific basis, and staff took all reasonable steps to support patients in making their own decisions. Where patients lacked capacity, decisions were made in their best interests, with careful consideration of their wishes, feelings, cultural background, and personal history. This reflects good practice and a person-centred approach.

The provider had policies for the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act, the latter of which also included guidance on deprivation of liberty safeguards. Staff were aware of these policies and could access them.

There was a Mental Health Act administrator within the service who conducted audits of Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act documentation within the service to ensure staff adhered to the Acts. They also provided advice and guidance to staff when required.

Patients were supported to understand their rights under the Mental Health Act and had access to advocacy. Section 17 leave was facilitated appropriately, and second opinion appointed doctors were sought when necessary.

Detention papers and associated records were stored securely and were accessible to relevant staff, reflecting good governance. Notices were displayed to inform informal patients of their right to leave freely, and care plans included reference to Section 117 aftercare for those detained under section 3 or equivalent powers.

During an assessment of the hospital overall

The service has been registered with the Care Quality Commission since 18 February 2019 to provide the following regulated activities:

  • Assessment or medical treatment for persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and,
  • Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The service has a registered manager and controlled drugs accountable officer.

There have been two previous inspections of this service, carried out in March 2022 and February 2020. Following the last inspection, the service was rated good overall and under all 5 key questions.

8 & 9 March 2022

During a routine inspection

Our rating of this location stayed the same. We rated it as good because:

  • The service provided safe care. The hospital had enough nurses and doctors. Staff assessed and managed risk well. They minimised the use of restrictive practices, managed medicines safely and followed good practice with respect to safeguarding.
  • Staff developed personalised, holistic, recovery-oriented care plans informed by a comprehensive assessment. They provided care and treatments suitable to the needs of the patients and in line with national guidance about best practice.
  • The hospital team included or had access to a range of specialists required to meet the needs of patients in the hospital. The staff worked well together as a multidisciplinary team and with those outside the hospital who would have a role in organising aftercare.
  • Staff understood and discharged their roles and responsibilities under the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
  • Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and understood the individual needs of patients. They actively involved patients and families and carers in care decisions. The service received consistently positive feedback from patients.
  • Staff planned and managed discharge well and liaised well with services that would provide aftercare. As a result, discharge was rarely delayed.
  • The service was well led, and the governance processes ensured that ward procedures ran smoothly.

However:

  • Not all staff had up to date appraisals in place in line with the providers policy
  • The manager did not have oversight of whether nurse to patient 1:1 time was completed on a weekly basis.

5-6 February 2020

During a routine inspection

Cygnet St William’s is a 12-bed neuropsychiatry service offering care and treatment to men over 18 years affected by acquired brain injuries.

We rated Cygnet St Williams as good because:

  • The service provided safe care. The hospital environment was safe and clean. The hospital had enough nurses, support workers and medical cover. Staff assessed and managed risk well and followed good practice with respect to safeguarding.
  • Staff developed holistic, recovery-oriented care plans informed by a comprehensive assessment. They provided a range of treatments suitable to the needs of patients with an acquired brain injury. Staff engaged in clinical audit to evaluate the quality of care they provided.
  • The hospital team included or had access to the full range of specialists required to meet the needs of patients. Managers ensured that staff received training, supervision and appraisal. The ward staff worked well together as a multidisciplinary team and with those outside the ward who would have a role in providing aftercare.
  • Staff understood and discharged their roles and responsibilities under the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
  • Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and understood the individual needs of patients. They actively involved patients and families and carers in care decisions.
  • Staff planned and managed discharge well and liaised well with services that would provide aftercare. As a result, discharge was rarely delayed for other than a clinical reason.
  • The hospital was well led, and the governance processes ensured that ward procedures ran smoothly.

However,

  • The hospital had blanket restrictions in place which were required to keep patients safe , which meant that that the hospital did not always fit with the ethos of a rehabilitative environment. Managers had reviewed this post inspection and issued patients with fobs if they were assessed as being able to safely access areas without assistance from staff.
  • Staff were unable to fully deliver care and treatment in line with national guidance and best practice for a rehabilitation ward due to the high physical health care needs of some patients.
  • There were mixed responses from staff with some staff reporting that they did feel respected, supported and valued . Staff felt positive and proud about working as a team to support patients but felt that staffing levels meant that they were often stretched and  could not always take breaks.