- SERVICE PROVIDER
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
This is an organisation that runs the health and social care services we inspect
Report from 11 July 2025 assessment
Contents
Ratings - Acute wards for adults of working age and psychiatric intensive care units
Our view of the service
We carried out an inspection of Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust acute wards for adults of working age between 18 November 2024 and 12 December 2024. The team visited 9 acute wards including:
-Peter Bruff and Ardleigh wards at Colchester Mental Health Hospital
-Chelmer ward at the Derwent Centre
-Finchingfield and Galleywood ward at the Linden centre
-Cherrydown Ward at Basildon Mental Health Unit
-Cedar ward at Rochford Hospital
-Hadleigh ward at Basildon Mental Health Unit and the Christopher Unit at the Linden Centre which were PICU wards.
The team looked at all the quality statements for safe and 7 for well led. The trust’s acute wards were previously inspected in 2023 and rated as inadequate. Following this inspection, the rating had improved to requires improvement. During our inspection, we found there were still concerns as identified at the previous inspection, relating to staff supervision and appraisal rates. We found there continued to be issues relating to safe prescribing, administration and recording of medicines which resulted in a breach in safe care and treatment. We also identified a breach in governance due to the oversight of these issues.
Although the trust had made improvements to dignity and respect, which were identified at the previous inspection, we observed 2 poor interactions from staff towards patients on Ardleigh ward during this inspection. However, we conducted a night visit and gained further assurance on staff engagement with patients. Overall, the trust had made improvements to patient care plans which were now holistic and reviewed regularly, but they did not always evidence patient involvement. Despite feedback from patients that the ward environments were generally clean, there were some delays to maintenance repairs being completed at Rochford and the trust were in the process of refurbishing wards.
Since the last inspection, the trust had made improvements to the previous breaches we had identified where 23 out of 25 breaches were now met. We found improvements in reporting and recording of incidents and the trust ensured staff followed their updated observation policy. There were now enough regular staff working on wards, including psychology staff. Maintenance work had been completed so staff could observe patients from all areas. The trust ensured patients understood the use of the contact-free patient monitoring system and sought consent. Patients had access to nurse call alarms and all sites had an updated prohibited items list. Improvements were also made to ensure processes were in place to support staff working at night. The trust assessed and mitigated risks concerning the sexual safety of patients and incidents of racial abuse to staff were reported and appropriate actions taken. Informal patients were informed of their rights and were able to leave the ward safely. Wards now had separate search rooms or areas to conduct patient searches in private. The trust had conducted work to embed a restrictive practice reduction plan and reviewed and reduced blanket restrictions. The trust worked with staff to ensure they maintained professional boundaries and that staff were now up to date with mandatory training.
People's experience of this service
Patients on most wards felt able to raise concerns and knew who to raise these with. Patients had mixed views about their experiences of admissions, transitions and discharges on the wards. Most patients told us they felt safe on the wards. Patients told us that although they were usually given a copy of their care plans and risk assessments, they were not always involved in these. Patients told us that there were enough staff available, they could see a doctor when they needed to, they could access activities and therapy and access community leave. Patients were generally satisfied with the environment and equipment on the wards and said the wards were clean, tidy and well maintained. Patients were not always given medicines which met their individual needs or in line with manufacturer recommendations. Patients sometimes experienced delays in accessing medicines to take away when being discharged or utilising leave. Patients that we spoke with told us they were able to give feedback on how to improve the service they received.