- Independent mental health service
Queensway Hospital Also known as Oak Tree Forest Limited
Assessment report published 29 September 2026
Contents
Ratings - Acute wards for adults of working age and psychiatric intensive care units
Our view of the service
Date of inspection: Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 June 2026.
Oak Tree Forest Limited provides inpatient complex care for adults at Queensway Hospital. For the purposes of service classification, the service was assessed within the acute wards for adults of working age service type. In addition, we expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.
We rated the service as Good.
We found that patients were supported to have choice and control, were involved in planning their care and staff were fully invested in clients’ wellbeing. The hospital identified and supported the wider health needs of patients, wellbeing and communication needs. We found the hospital focussed on reducing restrictive practice using a collaborative multidisciplinary approach. The hospital worked in collaboration with external partners, and the organisation encouraged improvement initiatives. However, we found that governance process did not always operate effectively and audits did not always identify issues and provide assurance.
Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act Compliance Summary
97% of 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 of how to raise safeguarding concerns.
Patients had easy access to information about independent mental health advocacy.
We reviewed 5 care records and found evidence that most 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 and patient restrictions were regularly reviewed to maximise their independence.
Multi-disciplinary team discussions involved the patient and patient's family in decision making and planning care and treatment. The hospital demonstrated good governance and had compliance audits in place to ensure staff provided evidence-based care and treatment.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with 6 patients and 5 relatives. We observed a group activity and reviewed patient feedback.
All patients told us staff were genuinely nice and caring, stating “Healthcare assistants are generally nice, caring and engage in therapeutic language”. Patients told us staff were skilled and autism aware. “When I am distressed, they help me know my triggers”. Five out of 6 patients felt the care was tailored to their needs.
Patients told us they had care plans in place and were involved in creating these but 2 patients did not feel as though they were consistently followed.
Five out of 6 patients told us they felt safe in the environment
Relatives we spoke with told us they were involved in meetings about their loved ones and that their needs were being met. Relatives told us that they experienced a caring environment and that the leadership team expected high standards. Two relatives we spoke with felt that communication could be improved.