We rated Cygnet Hospital Coventry as good because:

• Staff completed comprehensive risk assessments for patients and updated these regularly. Staff attended a daily risk meeting for updates and this was also discussed in the ward handovers so all staff knew if risk had changed for individual patients. Staff had received training in safeguarding and knew how to report this. The hospital had good medicines management and clinic rooms were well equipped and fit for purpose.
• The hospital provided patients with access to a wide range of healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, psychologists, occupational therapists, and social workers. Patients were also supported to see a local GP and access the optician and dentist in the community and the hospital had a practice nurse who managed patients’ physical healthcare. Patients had access to a range of therapies including dialectical behaviour therapy.
• Staff knew their patients well and engaged with them in a way which was caring, discreet and respectful. They put patient care first and listened to patients concerns. Patients had access to advocacy support on a weekly basis and could raise concerns in the ward community meetings or through the people’s council.
• The hospital provided patients with an extensive activity programme which was continually being developed and improved. They had an excellent suite of activity rooms off the wards as well as areas such as kitchens for patients use on the wards. Patients baked cakes to be sold in the hospital shop which was run by patients.
• The governance of the hospital had improved significantly with managers putting in a range of support to improve staff morale and the retention of staff. This included a much-improved induction process and role related training. Staff received a range of supervision and an annual appraisal to support them in their roles and to identify career progression. The introduction of a practice development lead had further strengthened support for staff.

However:

• Managers did not always follow the organisation’s policy for observations and in one case a member of staff had completed continuous observations for longer than the two-hour period specified in the policy.
• Families and carers felt the system for booking visits and the amount of space for visitors needed to be improved.
• The hospital had a high staff turnover and staff on Dunsmore PICU raised concerns about staffing levels and whether these were adequate to meet the needs of patients.