Department of Psychiatry

During this inspection we spoke to clinicians and staff on the wards and reviewed the documentation the hospital used. We reviewed the care and treatment for patients who were particularly vulnerable and at risk from environmental hazards and looked at the improvements that had been made to the hospital environment since out last inspection. We did not, on this occasion speak to patients so cannot report what the patients who used the service said.

We saw that the several high risk areas of the hospital had been upgraded and some refurbishment and redecoration had taken place. There were plans in place to upgrade the remaining high risk areas to provide safe and therapeutic environment to care for patients with acute mental health needs. We saw that the hospital had systems in place to address the risks posed by the environment and staff were fully aware of the actions required to keep patients safe.

We found that vulnerable patients admitted to the Department of Psychiatry received safe and appropriate care and treatment in an environment that had risk assessed and was being adjusted to meet their needs.