Cavendish Hospital (Fenton Ward) is an 18 bedded facility comprising of three side rooms and five three bedded bays. This inpatient service provides rehabilitation and end of life care for adults.

Most patients we spoke with told us they had positive experiences of care. We observed staff providing compassionate care and asking patients for their permission before they started to provide any care or treatment. However, staff did not explain or ask for the patient’s consent to display information about them on the whiteboards above their beds.

There were systems for identifying, investigating and learning from patient safety incidents, with an emphasis in the organisation on reducing harm. However, we were concerned about the security of the hospital and the safe storage and disposal of medicines. We saw assessments demonstrating many patients were at risk of falling, however we also saw that equipment was left in the corridors obscuring the grab rails patients used for support.

Inpatient services at Cavendish Hospital were effective and focussed on the needs of patients. Care provided was evidence based and followed approved national guidance and nationally recognised assessment tools. We saw examples of effective collaboration between members of the multi-disciplinary team. Staffing levels had been reviewed to support safe practice. However, not all staff had received regular clinical supervision.

There was effective multidisciplinary team working between the ward and community teams which ensured patients were provided with care that met their needs. Staff working at Cavendish Hospital were responsive to the needs of patients; however the physical environment of the hospital did not always meet the needs of patients with dementia. Discharge planning was well managed and effective.

There were organisational, governance and risk management structures in place. Staff told us there was two way communications between staff and managers. Staff felt included in the organisation’s vision and supported to raise concerns.

As a result of our concerns about storage and disposal of medicines, we judged the provider was not meeting Regulation 13, Medicines management. We have asked the provider to send us a report that says what action they are going to take to meet this essential standard.