- NHS mental health service
Silverwood
Assessment report published 28 October 2025
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
The date of assessment was 21 and 22 May 2025
Silverwood is the newest mental health inpatient service in northwest Surrey. Silverwood replaced the now-closed Abraham Cowley Unit (ACU) in Chertsey, which opened in 1988 and provided mental health services to people across Surrey and North east Hampshire. Silverwood Hospital has four wards of 16 beds (64 beds in total), all with single ensuite bedrooms, providing acute mental health care.
This inspection was triggered by concerns raised by the local stakeholders and patients in relation to the implementation if new systems and processes in a brand-new hospital setting. We carried out a comprehensive inspection and we visited all four wards at the Hospital.
During this comprehensive inspection we assessed all quality statements from the 5 key questions and found areas of good practice. We rated the service as good overall.
We rated the service as good. Staff assessed and mitigated risks. Care plans guided safe practice. The provider had enough staff to ensure people’s safety and meet their needs.
People were supported to have choice and control and were involved in planning their care.
People's experience of this service
Overall, patients were positive about the ward environment and the care they received. They told us that they were confident in the staff teams and the ward managers and the team’s ability to keep them safe. Most patients told us they felt well informed about what was happening on the wards and were receiving the care and treatment they needed.
However, feedback from some patients highlighted concerns about staffing stating there wasn’t always enough staff to support them on accessing the community from the hospital, sometimes staff did not have the time to engage therapeutically with them and there were sometimes breakdowns in communication with the staff. One patient expressed frustration about being told to “ask someone else” when they requested support with their care and another patient noted that nighttime medication required queuing. Another reported that their medication concerns were not addressed despite repeated attempts. One patient stated, “Feels like there’s nothing to do other than go to bed,” reflecting a lack of meaningful activity. Others described the environment as “ok” or “lovely,” and appreciated the availability of hygiene products and the absence of phone restrictions. A patient expressed uncertainty about their Section 17 leave status and wanted to access the gym but needed staff support.