Warning notice at Wonford House Hospital
A warning notice has been issued to Devon Partnership NHS Trust after failing to complete improvements to quality of care at Coombehaven ward at Wonford House Hospital.
The warning notice was issued after inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that patients on the ward were still not consistently involved in the preparation of their care plans or had regular access to their named nurses despite these concerns being raised by a previous inspection.
The notice means that the Trust must now complete the improvements to Coombehaven ward, which serves as an admissions ward for adults of a working age at Wonford House Hospital, or else face further action from CQC.
The inspection of the ward was carried out as part of a major new form of inspection by CQC into quality of care at mental health trusts.
An inspection team of 37 people, including CQC inspectors and analysts, doctors, nurses, social workers, Mental Health Act commissioners, psychologists, patient experts by experience and senior managers, spent four days visiting the trust’s hospitals and community services across Devon last February.
They examined the care provided on acute admission wards and health-based places of safety, long stay forensic secure services, services for older people, services for people with learning disabilities or autism, adult community-based services including crisis services, and specialist eating disorder services.
Overall the report concludes that, despite a number of challenges such a in its services for adults of working age who need urgent mental health care, the trust provides some good and excellent mental health services
The report praises the trust’s specialist eating disorder service as well as some inpatient and community services for older people and for people with learning disabilities.
Dr Paul Lelliott, CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals, said: “Generally, we have found services at Devon Partnership Trust to be safe, with a strong culture of learning from incidents at individual sites and across the trust. However, staff providing cover out of hours are not always able to respond effectively to mental health crises affecting people living in the community.
“Most of the patients and carers we met described staff as caring and compassionate. But while Devon Partnership NHS Trust provided effective services in many areas, the availability of the service can all depend on where you live, especially if you need input from a recovery care co-ordinator, timely access to a Section 12 approved doctor or specialist psychological therapies.
“The trust is aware of these shortcomings and is in discussion with those who commission its services and I hope that together they soon develop a clear plan to address these issues. The task of improving the services so that they reach all the people who need them, especially adults who need access to acute services, poses a significant challenge.”
