The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has told Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust to make improvements following focused inspections at three of its services and has taken action to ensure people’s safety.
On 23 November 2020, CQC carried out unannounced focused inspections of the trust’s community based mental health services and acute wards for adults of working age, psychiatric intensive care units and mental health crisis services and health-based places of safety. The inspections were carried out due to insight and concerns received about the potential risk of harm to patients if action was not taken.
Inspectors looked at whether the services were safe, effective and well-led but no ratings were given at this time. The trust’s overall rating of Requires Improvement remains.
Following the inspection, CQC put conditions on the trust’s registration. The conditions required the trust to address all ligature risks by 18 June 2021.
The trust must also implement an effective system to improve risk assessments and care planning by 5 February 2021.
CQC’s Head of Hospital Inspection (mental health and community health services), Jenny Wilkes, said:
“During our inspections of Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust’s services, we found several concerns that needed addressing.
“We imposed urgent conditions on the trust’s registration as a result of our concerns about ligature risks, care planning and risk assessments. We took this urgent action to ensure that people using the services are not exposed to any risk of harm.
“The trust responded quickly to safety concerns in most cases but in some instances, such as the ongoing ligature risk presented by ensuite bathroom doors on the acute wards, no timeframe was given for when this work would be complete.
“We have reported our findings to the trust leadership, which knows what it must do to bring about further improvements and ensure it maintains any already made. We will return to check on the trust’s progress.”
The latest inspections found that improvements were needed to ensure patients were receiving the care they were entitled to. For example, in the acute wards for adults of working age and psychiatric intensive care units, ligature risks were present across the service. Work had begun to address these but there was no clear time frame for when this would be completed.
Medicines were not always stored or transported safely in the community mental health service. Inspectors saw staff at the Zinnia Hub transporting medication in bags with no locks. At Northcroft Hub, inspectors saw the drug cupboard with keys in was left unattended.
Inspectors also noted some good practice across services. Mental health crisis services and health-based places of safety were effectively managed and had governance processes that ensured team procedures ran smoothly.
Patients were treated with dignity and respect across all services and adjustments were made for those needing specific requirements. Leaders were visible and approachable for staff, patients and their families.
Full details of the inspection are given in the report published on the CQC website here.
Ends
For enquiries about this press release please email regional.engagement@cqc.org.uk.
Journalists wishing to speak to the press office outside of office hours can find out how to contact the team here (Please note: the duty press officer is unable to advise members of the public on health or social care matters).
For general enquiries, please call 03000 61 61 61.
Read the report published for Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust:
Mental health crisis services and health-based places of safety
Community-based mental health services of adults of working age
Acute wards for adults of working age and psychiatric intensive care units