Inspection reveals Peterborough mental health wards require improvement
Peterborough wards that care for older people with mental health problems have had their rating downgraded from ‘Good’ to ‘Requires improvement’ following a recent inspection.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) issued the new rating after assessing the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust’s (CPFT) wards in January.
The rating was recorded when inspectors identified “significant shortfalls” in terms of governance, management and sustainability on mental health wards at the Cavell Centre in Peterborough, and at Fulbourn Hospital in Cambridge.
Stuart Dunn, CQC deputy director of mental health in the East of England, said:
“When we inspected these services, we found leaders had missed some concerning gaps in people’s safety.”
Dignity in care, infection prevention, food safety, medicines management and environmental risks were also areas where inspectors raised concerns.
While the CQC recorded an overall rating of ‘Requires improvement’, inspectors were satisfied that the wards’ staff performed consistently well in terms of effectiveness, care and responsiveness.
“Most staff were kind, skilled, and respectful,” Mr Dunn said. “They communicated with people well [and] when people felt distressed, they de-escalated the situation compassionately.”
A spokesperson for the CPFT said: “We take these findings seriously and immediate actions have been taken to address the gaps identified during the inspection.”
They added: “We welcome the CQC’s recognition of the compassionate care delivered by our staff, the positive feedback from relatives and carers, and the services continuing to be rated ‘Good’ for being caring, effective, and responsive.”
The Cavell Centre in Peterborough has two wards for older people with mental health problems: Maple 1 and Maple 2.
Maple 1 ward is a 8-bed mixed sex ward and Maple 2 ward is a 14-bed mixed sex ward. They are both for functional patients over the age of 65 years with cognitive impairment.
Mr Dunn said the CQC has had regular engagement with CPFT leaders since the inspection:
“They’ve assured us they’re taking our concerns seriously and taking steps to improve the care and support people receive,” he said. “We’ll continue to monitor this service to ensure people are kept safe.”