A south east London trust that specialises in mental health care and community services has been rated Good overall by the Care Quality Commission.
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust was re-inspected between 27 February and 1 March 2017, following an inspection in April 2016 when it was rated Requires Improvement.
The trust, which provides mental health and community services in the London boroughs of Bromley, Bexley and Greenwich, was rated Good for being safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
During the most recent focused inspection CQC inspected acute wards for adults and psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs) and mental health crisis services and health-based places of safety which have both been rated Good. Inspectors also rated community health services for children, young people and families as Good.
CQC undertook this inspection to find out whether Oxleas had made improvements in three services since the last comprehensive inspection.
When CQC last inspected the trust in April 2016, inspectors rated acute wards for adults of working age and PICUs as Inadequate overall. After the April 2016 inspection the trust was told it must take action to avoid patients sleeping on sofas in lounges while waiting for an inpatient bed, to stop same sex accommodation breaches and ensure ligature assessments were carried out on all wards.
This year inspectors found there had been significant improvements across all the acute inpatient wards. All the previous concerns had been addressed. Patients and staff were very positive about improvements in the safety and quality of care being delivered.
Jane Ray, CQC’s Head of Hospital Inspection (Mental Health) said:
“During this most recent inspection, it was encouraging to find that Oxleas had addressed the issues we raised following the April 2016 inspection."
“The trust leadership team had acknowledged where improvements needed to take place. They had worked very effectively as a team and with other stakeholders to bring about significant improvements in a timely manner."
“It was very positive to be able to see how the changes had led to an improved quality of care for people using these services."
“This inspection found that the trust was well led and the CQC has confidence that the leadership team will be able to sustain these improvements going forward."
You can read the report in full on our website.
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