Cygnet Lodge Salford

Updated 22 October 2026

We inspected Cygnet Lodge Salford on site on 21 July 2026 and remotely on 23 July 2026.

We inspected the service to review the progress made against the warning notices that were served on the provider following our inspection in February 2025. These were served under Regulation 12 in relation to medicines management and risk management, and Regulation 18 in relation to staff induction, supervision, support and training in the Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act. We found that the service had made improvements and had met the requirements of the warning notices.

We also reviewed the service’s progress in relation to the action plans that were served following the last inspection for Regulation 9 in relation to patient involvement and staff interactions with patients, Regulation 15 in relation to the maintenance of the environment and Regulation 17 in relation to governance and oversight. We found at this inspection that the service had met the actions from the action plan requests.

Cygnet Lodge Salford was registered with CQC in January 2020 to deliver the regulated activities: Assessment or medical treatment for persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and Treatment of disease, disorder or injury. The service had a controlled drugs accountable officer and a registered manager. The registered manager was on maternity leave at the time of the inspection. The hospital manager was covering the role in their absence.

The service provides high dependency inpatient rehabilitation for 24 women with a primary diagnosis of mental illness. All rooms were single ensuite rooms and there were 3 apartments for patients to move into as part of their progression in the service. The apartments provided an opportunity for patients to develop and test out their independent living skills prior to discharge.

We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

At this inspection we identified a breach of Regulation 18 Staffing in relation to staff not being provided with tier 2 autism and learning disability training and staff were carrying out enhanced observations for longer than best practice advises without a break. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this inspection.

At this inspection we inspected the assessment service group; Long stay or rehabilitation mental health wards for working age adults where we assessed 20 quality statements covering the safe, caring and well led key questions.

We rated the service as Good.

Updated 22 December 2025

We rated this service as Good.

Bank and agency staff were receiving an induction to the service and records confirmed this. Staff were receiving appropriate support and guidance in their role, including supervision and training.

Medicines were stored safely, records were complete and contemporaneous. Risk assessments were updated following incidents. Risks were shared within the team, including at handovers. Staff were following the uniform policy and were bare below the elbow.

Furniture and décor had been updated to a high standard following our last inspection and patients were involved in the decision making of these changes. The lift was working and the ligature risk assessment reflected risks within the hospital environment.

Staff told us of the changes in the culture since the last inspection, they felt valued, supported and listened to.

However, we identified a breach of Regulation 18 Staffing in relation to staff not being provided with tier 2 autism and learning disability training and staff not conducting enhanced observations within the best practice guidance recommendations. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this inspection.

Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act Compliance Summary

Staff received training in the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act. Compliance for the service was 95% for Mental Capacity Act and 98% for Mental Health Act.

There were policies and procedures in place for both the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act. Staff we spoke with understood their role in relation to the legislation.

Medicines administration records were clearly completed and where needed the appropriate Mental Health Act authorities for prescribing were in place.

Records evidenced examples of capacity assessments completed for decisions including treatment for physical health conditions.