We inspected the Bevan ward which is part of the Adult Mental Health Services in Hackney.

We met eleven patients and spoke individually with six about their experience on the ward. All were detained under the Mental Health Act.

Patients we spoke with confirmed they had been given appropriate information and support regarding their care or treatment. One person said “they gave me a leaflet explaining my rights when I came here.”

Most patients we spoke with felt they were well looked after and had everything they

needed. Patient's said they were happy with the standard of care. One patient said “I am satisfied with staff, they are more than fair”. Another said “I get on well with staff. Most of them look after me well.”

Patients said that they generally felt safe on the ward. All staff we spoke with confirmed they had received training on protecting vulnerable adults from abuse and child protection. They were knowledgeable about different types of abuse and able to explain what they would do if they had concerns about abuse or if a patient disclosed abuse.

Appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work which included checking for gaps in employment histories, references and checks with the disclosure and barring service (DBS). Staff who had been recently employed confirmed these checks had been carried out.

The care records we looked at on the system were accurate and up to date including medical records and were fit for purpose.

People using the service as inpatients told us that they have a named nurse, and said that staff were very approachable. People using the service in the community told us that they had good relationships with the care team supporting them. The people we spoke to told us that they had a care plan and that this reflected their needs and included their wishes and preferences. People using the service also told us that they participate in groups and activities on the wards and that they enjoy these very much.

We spoke to people using the service and they told us that they had access to advocacy services whilst receiving inpatient care. People we spoke to told us that that they had been given information about their treatments and were able to make an informed decision about them. We were also told that staff promote the dignity and privacy of people using the service.

People who use community mental health services told us that they had been given out of hours contact numbers should they need to access services. We received variable reviews from people using the inpatient service about the meals.

Carers and relatives we spoke to were very impressed with the range of services available to their family members. People using the service told us that they felt safe and were comfortable approaching staff with any concerns. They also commented that they knew about the complaints procedure.