Thors Park has been placed into special measures after a Care Quality Commission inspection which resulted in it receiving an overall rating of Inadequate.
The inspection, in February 2019, found a number of concerns regarding the safety of patients at the Thorrington based independent mental health hospital.
During the inspection CQC found the hospital - that provides support for up to 14 men with learning disabilities and complex needs - needed to make significant improvements to ensure it was delivering safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led care.
At the time of CQC’s inspection, 11 men were receiving care and treatment at the hospital. As a result of the inspection, the hospital is now rated as Inadequate for being safe, responsive and well-led, Requires Improvement for being effective and Good for being caring.
Following the hospital’s previous inspection, in January 2018, it was rated as Good overall. But CQC carried out a further focused inspection of the hospital in October and November 2018 as a result of safeguarding concerns that had been raised since its January inspection.
The hospital has been under close scrutiny since the inspection in October and November and CQC has issued warnings, in relation to safety, governance and staffing, as a result of its most recent inspection.
CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (and lead for mental health), Dr Paul Lelliott, said:
“Over the past four years, there has been a drive to reduce the number of hospital beds and improve health and care services so that more people with learning disabilities can live in the community, with the right support. Those hospitals that remain should be of a high quality and provide short-term treatment, close to home. It is therefore troubling that CQC is placing this hospital for men with learning disabilities and complex needs into special measures.
“Thors Park accepts referrals from across the country – the care for each of the eleven patients is funded by a different clinical commissioning group. The service currently has no registered manager and has had a succession of managers over recent years. It must be asked whether these factors have contributed to the deterioration in the service since our last comprehensive inspection in January 2018 – at which time we rated the hospital as Good.
“It is unacceptable that staff have failed to take the necessary steps to keep patients safe or to keep the ward in a clean and well-maintained condition. The local safeguarding team is currently undertaking a safeguarding investigation triggered by allegations of abuse by staff towards patients and a number of incidents related to unexplained injuries of patients.
“We will monitor the situation at Thors Park closely and take any further action necessary to keep the people receiving care there safe.”
The inspection highlighted a number of areas where the hospital must improve, including:
- The provider must ensure the environment is adequately maintained and decorated.
- Staff must ensure physical restraints used during incidents are recorded.
- Personal alarms and alarm panels must be repaired.
- Staff must receive regular appraisals, supervision and be up to date with all mandatory training.
- The provider must ensure that staff maintain the CCTV and correct the timings on the system.
- The clinic room, equipment and medication must be safely managed.
- Enhanced observations must be completed in line with patient care plans and the provider’s observations policy.
- The provider must have adequate oversight of significant issues and take action to manage these.
- The provider must ensure adequate investigations following complaints are completed and all available evidence is used.
- Actions recommended from care and treatment reviews must be recorded clearly and be easily accessible.
The full report including ratings of all core services is due to publish on the CQC website tomorrow (Friday, 12 April) at the following link: www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-519903445
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