Schoen Clinic York, a specialist eating disorder hospital for adults, has been rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and placed in special measures, following an inspection in January.
We found people were at risk of physical and psychological harm due to unsafe and unacceptable food provision that did not meet the complex needs of people using the service.
There were also signs of a closed culture at the hospital. Some staff reported feeling unable to raise concerns without fear of bullying and harassment from managers. Also, incidents and safeguarding issues were not always reported appropriately.
The rating for the hospital, which is run by Newbridge Care Systems, dropped from requires improvement and will remain under close review by CQC. As it has been placed in special measures, it will be inspected again within six months to assess whether the necessary improvements have been made.
In addition to being rated inadequate overall, the hospital was rated inadequate for being safe, effective, responsive to people’s needs, caring and well-led.
Brian Cranna, CQC’s head of hospital inspection, said:
“The standards of care we found at Schoen Clinic York were putting patients at risk and so we have taken urgent enforcement action, which means the service must improve if it’s to retain its registration.
“We found people didn’t always receive the levels of care they have a right to expect and weren’t always treated with compassion and respect. Individual dietary needs weren’t always considered, and people weren’t involved in the planning of their care and treatment.
“Evidence of a closed culture, where people aren’t listened to, and issues aren’t escalated appropriately, was particularly concerning. An environment where people feel unable to speak up or where incidents aren’t recorded is completely unacceptable.
“Following our urgent enforcement action, the provider has started to make improvements to safety and quality in the service. We will monitor them closely and inspect again in the coming months to assess whether it has made the necessary changes to operate safely and effectively.”
The latest inspection of Schoen Clinic York found:
- There was not always enough nursing and support staff to keep people safe, and risks were not assessed, managed or mitigated properly.
- There were concerns about numerous ligature points throughout the hospital and emergency equipment was not checked regularly. The staff alarm system needed reviewing, which meant an emergency response could be delayed.
- People did not always receive the emotional support they needed. Some reported having insensitive comments made to them by staff, which could affect their recovery, and some said they did not feel listened to by managers.
- Governance processes were not effective in identifying issues around quality and safety, which meant there was insufficient oversight from leaders about what was happening in the service.
However:
- Ward areas were clean, well-equipped, well-furnished and well-maintained and there was enough medical cover, including a doctor who was quickly available in an emergency.
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