As part of our inspection we at looked at two wards, Blake ward and Clare ward which were two of four acute admissions wards in the Abraham Cowley Unit.

We found that the environment and facilities in the wards did not ensure that people’s right to privacy and dignity was respected.We found a number of environmental concerns which meant that people were not being cared for in a suitable safe, accessible and well maintained environment

People said that they had a care plan but they did not always evidence their involvement in their care plan. There were no system in place to ensure that people who were not legally detained could leave the ward.

The Expert by Experience spoke to six patients and concluded that patients generally spoke highly of the service. Occupational therapy and activities were well regarded and respected.

We observed some good interactions between staff and patients.

Safeguarding procedures were in place and staff received training to ensure people’s safety

People were supported by staff who received appropriate professional development. However not all staff had received up to date supervision sessions to monitor their practice

The provider had systems in place to gather the views and experiences of patient’s who used the service. Audits were undertaken to monitor the quality and safety of the service