Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

This means we looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs.

This service scored 50 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Person-centred Care

Staff regularly met with patients in multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings to discuss patients’ care and treatment. These discussions took place weekly and ward reviews were completed 3 times a week. Care plans and risk assessments were not always updated with any changes identified. Patients told us that 1:1 meetings with their named nurse did not always take place and not all patients knew who their named nurse was.

Staff monitored patients’ conditions and discussed any changes at twice daily handover meetings. However, staff told us these were not always comprehensive due to low staffing numbers and lack of time allocated to them to complete administrative tasks.

Care provision, Integration and continuity

Staff supported patients to maintain contact with their families and friends, this included patients having the use of mobile phones. Family members were invited to join MDT meetings.
The service told us patients could access employment specialists who provided support to anyone interested in paid or voluntary employment, although we did not see any individual examples of this taking place.
 

Providing Information

Staff made notifications to external bodies as needed. The service submitted notifications to the Care Quality Commission in accordance with the requirements of their registration. The service submitted safeguarding referrals to the local authority.
The service complied with the Accessible Information Standard. We saw various easy read documents that could be provided to patients.
Staff ensured that patients could obtain information on their rights and how to complain.
A welcome pack was provided on admission and this included details of a carers group that family members and carers could attend.
 

Listening to and involving people

Patients, relatives and carers knew how to complain or raise concerns. Information about how to make a complaint and how to raise concerns with the Care Quality Commission was available on noticeboards throughout the ward.
Staff knew how to acknowledge complaints and tried to swiftly resolve them with patients. In the last 12 months, managers received 8 complaints. All were documented as being addressed and 4 were ongoing.
In the past 12 months the ward received 2 documented compliments. These were from patients receiving care and were complimenting individual staff members.
 

Equity in access

Staff ensured the needs of patients with mobility issues were met – for example, a wheelchair user was accommodated during our inspection.
There was adequate medical cover, and the general hospital was located at the same site as the ward meaning staff could get prompt assistance in a medical emergency.
Staff planned for patients’ discharge, including liaison with partners to arrange accommodation. Care plans identified discharge planning was in place from admission and regularly updated.
It was unclear from the data provided by the service, whether there were any delayed discharges in the past 12 months.
 

Equity in experiences and outcomes

The trust had a culture of care programme that included equality, choice and transparency. The service gave us examples of supporting transgender patients at the hospital.
Staff shared that adjustments were made to accommodate patients with diverse needs, including the use of a dietitian for a patient that required it. Information was available in alternative formats to ensure accessibility.
At the time of inspection, 100% of staff had completed training in Equality and Diversity.
 

Planning for the future

Staff did not always create personalised care plans to account for the patients’ needs, wishes and feelings. Whilst these may have been discussed with the patient, and their family members, there was not always a record of this.
Patients told us that they were not always supported to make decisions about their care, treatment and future.