At this unannounced inspection we spoke with five patients. They were all very complimentary about the kindness of the staff, their involvement in their treatment and therapeutic activities. All of the patients told us that they felt safe at the hospital and that they were always treated with respect. One patient commented that staff “Know what’s going on” and understood their needs. Another patient told us “It’s a good place to learn and build yourself”. We were told the psychiatrist was “A good listener”. We found evidence that patients had been consulted with and wherever possible had been involved in the planning of their own care. Patients told us the best part of the service was the “Support and care” they received.

We found that the Trust had appropriate arrangements in place for the training and development of employed staff. However we had concerns that bank and agency staff did not receive the same level of support. Staff told us that they now felt supported both by their line managers and the wider Trust and that they felt able to challenge practices and each other if needed. We observed that staff interacted with patients in a positive and respectful way.

We found that although the Trust had a plan in place to upgrade the facilities, on the day of our inspection the hospital was in need of refurbishment to provide a therapeutic environment and appropriate gender separation for patients. There were appropriate systems in place to monitor the services provided.