Broadmoor high security hospital in Berkshire has been rated Good overall by the Care Quality Commission.
The hospital, which is run by West London Mental Health NHS Trust, was rated Outstanding for being caring, Good for being effective, responsive and well-led. It was rated Requires Improvement for being safe for patients, following the inspection in June 2018.
CQC’s inspection team found that the trust had made significant improvements within the hospital since our last comprehensive inspection in November 2016, with some Outstanding care evident.
Patients told CQC that clinical and non-clinical staff across the hospital treatedthem with care, kindness and sensitivity and that staff treated patients as individuals and showed understanding of their individual needs.
Members of staff on the wards spoke in a sensitive manner about patients’ likes and dislikes and the ways they wished to be provided with care. They discussed patients with respect and hope.
On Sheffield ward, the staff and patients had a monthly lunch where the whole ward team and patients sat down and ate together. This displayed a sense of community within the ward which supported the development of positive relationships.
Patient voice was central to strategic decisions within the hospital such as decisions made around the redevelopment of the new hospital site.
Patients were very positive about the staff and inspectors observed staff interaction with patients which was respectful and kind. Staff spoke about patients with hope and knew the patients they worked with very well.
Staff took into account patients’ culture, religion and social interests when planning and delivering care and treatment. Staff had an excellent understanding of the individual needs of the patients they worked with and they demonstrated patient-focused and patient centred practice which put patients’ needs at the heart of the work they do.
While there were still staff vacancies, the hospital had focused on ensuring that the patient experience was affected as little as possible in terms of activities being cancelled.
The hospital had undertaken significant work to reduce the use of long term segregation. This involved specific projects on several wards; including staff supporting patients to spend as much time out of their rooms as possible.
Staff morale had improved further since the last inspection. Arrangements were in place to keep staff informed and enable them to escalate issues they wanted addressed.
However, the hospital continued to have high vacancy levels for nurses and this had an impact on the delivery of care.
Some medication was not stored at the recommended temperature. Some emergency medication was not immediately available, and some emergency equipment had been checked but was out of date.
Paul Lelliott, CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector (and lead for mental health) said:
“It is very encouraging to see the improvements in care that have taken place at West London Mental Health NHS Trust’s Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire.
“The morale of staff and patients appeared to be much better than we found at previous inspections and this has a lot to do with the effort put in by the leadership team and staff at the hospital.
“I was particularly pleased that patients are now spending less time in their rooms and are more actively engaged in the activities provided.”
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It is very encouraging to see the improvements in care that have taken place at West London Mental Health NHS Trust’s Broadmoor Hospital
Dr Paul Lelliott, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (and lead for mental health)