Elizabeth House

Updated 28 February 2024

Elizabeth House is an acute inpatient mental health hospital, offering assessment and treatment for adult men and women who are experiencing an acute episode of mental illness and require hospital admission. Patients may be informal or detained under the Mental Health Act (1983).

The hospital can accommodate up to 30 patients over 3 wards, set over 3 floors:

• King Ward offers 15 acute beds for males
• Castle ward offers 10 beds for females
• Swithland ward offers 5 beds, which can accommodate either males or females, dependent upon the greater need through referrals received.

The service was registered with the Care Quality Commission in February 2023 and opened to admissions in March 2023. The service had not previously been inspected.

The hospital is registered to provide the following Regulated Activities:

• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
• Assessment or medical treatment for persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1983

There is a registered manager in place.

What people who use the service say

We spoke with 7 patients who were using the service and received feedback from a carer of a patient using the service.

Six of the 7 patients felt safe at the hospital. One patient reported being unsettled by some other patients being noisy on occasions.

All patients told us staff were polite and kind and treated them well.

All patients said they had privacy and staff always knocked on their bedroom doors before entering.

One patient said they felt it was more like a hotel and would like to learn more coping strategies so they could manage their mental health.

All patients reported there was a variety of activities. Examples given included smoothie making; listening to music; various quiz’s; board games and walks.

Three of the 7 patients we spoke with had been involved in their care planning.

All patients said that staff managed aggressive incidents well, taking time to speak with patients who were upset.

One patient told us that their relative could not visit due to the distance, and they did not know if a video call could be facilitated and was unsure how to do this.

The carer we received feedback from said that the staff were very polite and welcoming. They said the hospital was clean and the housekeeping staff were friendly. They did share some concerns. They felt there was a lack of activities with patients having to manage their own time and feeling bored. They reported there was a lack of communication of progress. They also reported that despite the multi-disciplinary team agreeing to extended visiting times due to travel, this had not been accommodated, resulting in visits being ‘cut short’.

Updated 28 February 2024

This was the first inspection of this service. We rated it as requires improvement because:

• The ligature risk assessment was held electronically. Numerous staff had not seen this. There was no information on the wards to indicate high risk areas.
• Not all agency staff profiles detailed mandatory training received and so we could not be assured that all agency staff were appropriately trained.
• The service did not have an employed occupational therapist. We were concerned that patients were not receiving meaningful and therapeutic activities.
• Staff lacked knowledge around the Mental Capacity Act despite having received training. Records of capacity were not consistently detailed.
• Not all care plans were personalised and lacked individual goals, aims and interventions.
• Not all patients had been involved in their care planning.
• Some staff had difficulty accessing and navigating the electronic records system.
• Patients could not have access to fresh air as and when they wanted. Most windows across the hospital could not be opened.
• Governance processes needed to be strengthened to ensure ongoing monitoring of the quality of the service.

However:

• The ward environments were safe and clean. The wards had enough nurses and doctors. They minimised the use of restrictive practices and managed medicines safely.
• Staff developed a range of care plans which were updated regularly.
• Managers ensured staff received training, supervision and appraisals. The ward staff worked well together as a multidisciplinary team and with those outside of the hospital who would have a role in providing aftercare.
• Staff understood and discharged their roles and responsibilities under the Mental Health Act 1983.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and understood the individual needs of patients.
• The service managed beds well so that a bed was always available locally to a person who would benefit from admission and patients were discharged promptly once their condition warranted this.

Updated 28 February 2024