Priority bands published for trusts that provide mental health services

Intelligent monitoring reports published today set out the analysis that will guide our inspections of trusts that provide mental health services under our new approach.

Together with local information from partners and the public, our intelligent monitoring model helps us to decide when, where and what to inspect. For trusts that provide mental health services, the model considers 59 different types of evidence, based on sources that include the NHS staff survey, bed occupancy rates, the national health outpatient survey and concerns raised by trust staff.

Four priority bands

For each trust we have published a report that sets out our analysis. We have also placed each trust into a priority band from one (highest perceived concern) to four (lowest perceived concern). While the bands will help us to decide which trusts to inspect first, they don’t represent a judgement or a ranking of care quality. We haven’t banded trusts that we have inspected recently, as these have already been prioritised.

We have been using intelligent monitoring to target our inspections in the acute hospital sector since last year. This month also saw the publication of the first intelligent monitoring reports for GP practices. The reports published today are the first for NHS trusts that provide mental health services.

A clear picture

Dr Paul Lelliott, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals and lead for mental health, said: “We have developed this ‘intelligent monitoring’ tool to give our inspection teams a clear indication of the aspects of care that may warrant further investigation on their inspections.

“While the bandings are not judgements of quality, we hope NHS trusts will use our analysis to reflect on where they may need to improve.

“It is encouraging that of the NHS trusts that provide mental health services within bands, over a third is of lowest concern.

“Those that give us the greatest concern will be prioritised for inspection so that we can be confident people receive safe, high-quality and compassionate care.”