NHS trust hopes new mental health unit in Mansfield will counter CQC criticism

The Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has been slapped with a ‘requires Improvement’ rating by the CQC after an inspection during March and April.

The inspectors looked closely at the trust’s mental health services for adults, both in hospitals and within the community.

These include the trust’s Millbrook mental health unit at King’s Mill Hospital in Sutton, which has four inpatient wards and also outpatient clinics for people needing specialist help.

The CQC team was alarmed to find dozens of patients under the trust’s care were in shared sleeping or dormitory-style accommodation, with beds separated only by curtains.

Jenny Wilkes, CQC head of hospital infection, said: “This didn’t promote patients’ wellbeing, privacy or dignity.

"The issue was raised with the trust in 2019 and it set deadlines to get rid of these issues, but they still haven’t been done.”

However, the trust says it is confident that the opening of the new Sherwood Oaks unit at the former St Andrew’s Healthcare site on the Sherwood Oaks Business Park in Mansfield will help to solve its shortcomings.

In response to the CQC report, Anne-Maria Newham, trust chief executive, said: “We recognise dormitory accommodation does not meet the requirements of a modern mental-health inpatient service, or the quality of healthcare we wish to provide.

“We plan to eradicate it by 2025/26, and the first part of this will be achieved with the opening of Sherwood Oaks, which will will be a fabulous facility for patients to receive care and for staff to work.

“The trust acknowledges it has not been able to make these changes as quickly as it would like, but is pleased that patients will move into this new unit this week.”

Sherwood Oaks is a purpose-built, four-ward, 70-bed unit with single, en suite accommodation. It will replace the inpatient services at Millbrook for adults with acute mental-health issues, leaving the Sutton centre to concentrate on treating older adults and improving its facilities.

The CQC’s report also handed the trust ‘requires Improvement’ ratings in the categories headed effective, safe and well-led.

“Further work is needed to ensure patients receive safe and appropriate care,” Mrs Wilkes said.

"In long-stay mental health rehabilitation wards, the environment hadn’t been well maintained and repairs weren’t done in a timely way.

“In addition, in three services, there weren’t always enough suitably qualified staff on duty to meet people’s needs and keep them safe.”

Mrs Newham, made an MBE for her “outstanding contribution to nursing”, said: “We are not alone within the NHS in experiencing difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff. We are doing all we can to address this.”

The one positive to be gleaned by the trust from the CQC report was an outstanding rating in the caring category.

Mrs Wilkes said: “The trust is to be commended. We saw several examples of staff going the extra mile.”

Mrs Newham said: “We are delighted the CQC has recognised our staff and volunteers.

"We have some amazing colleagues who work hard to provide high-quality care and treatment, and I thank them for their continued dedication in often difficult circumstances.”