The Care Quality Commission

Archived: Lothingland

1 Airey Close, Oulton, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 3JQ (01502) 560111

Provided and run by:
Suffolk Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Important: This service is now managed by a different provider - see new profile

All Inspections

26, 27 October 2011

During a themed inspection looking at Learning Disability Services

There were a total of seven patients living at Lothingland, three adults and four younger patients, aged between twelve and eighteen. We met and introduced ourselves and spoke with all of the seven patients using the service and one person that had recently been discharged into the community. We spoke with two adults and two younger patients in more depth to get their views of the service. Overall patients said they were happy living at Lothingland. They told us that they were happy with the care, treatment and support they received and that they had been consulted about their care. One patient told us that they had previously stayed in other hospitals and this was 'The best'. A second patient told us that they had been provided with support to help them move on from the service, which they were doing, 'At a pace that suited them'.

Patients told us that they have their own activity plans, which helps them decide what they want to do. They told us activities included going to college and to various clubs, including social support groups. We spoke with a patient who had recently left Lothingland. This patient told us that they had nothing but praise for the staff, the treatment programs and facilities at Lothingland. They commented, that the assessment and treatment they had received had, 'Changed everything for the good' and that they had 'endless thanks' for the new opportunities that attending Lothingland had created for them.

We spoke with the parents of two the patients currently living at Lothingland. Both parents told us about their experience of their relative being detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. Both parents commented that the transfer of their relatives to Lothingland, had been a positive experience, comments included, 'It has been the best thing that has happened to my relative' and 'Since my relative moved to Lothingland, a 'Miracle' has happened in that my relative has been supported through their illness to become happy again'.

One parent said they often visited their relative, and always found them to be, 'clean and comfortable' and that the support they received, was, 'personalised, including the support to look after their own health'. A second parent commented that, the 'Facilities provided at Lothingland are appropriate, meaningful and very well organised around the needs of the patients'.