mental health Archives - Page 4 of 10

Critical report finds ‘significant shortfalls’ at Harrogate care home

A care home in Harrogate has been found to have “widespread and significant shortfalls in leadership” in a highly critical inspection report.

Avon Lodge on Harlow Moor Drive was rated ‘requires improvement’ by the Care Quality Commission, while its leadership was found to be ‘inadequate’ in a report published this week.

In the report, which followed an unannounced two-day inspection in February, inspectors downgraded Avon Lodge from its previous ‘good’ rating and said:

“The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the quality of care being provided to people. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks… We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements…

“The provider acknowledged the shortfalls found during this inspection. They took some action following the first day of inspection to begin to address some of the shortfalls found regarding the environment and fire safety.

“The overall rating for the service has changed from ‘good’ to ‘requires improvement’ based on the findings of this inspection.”

The inspection assessed three key areas, asking if the service was safe, effective, and well-led. The latter was rated ‘inadequate;, while the other two were ‘good’.

The areas of ‘caring’ and ‘responsive’ were not assessed during the inspection and are still rated ‘good’, having last been assessed in 2019.

In their latest visit, inspectors found there were multiple breaches of regulations relating to administering medicine, reporting concerns about safeguarding, and carrying out risk assessments. They concluded:

“Some aspects of the service were not always safe and there was limited assurance about safety. There was an increased risk that people could be harmed.”

Personal care needs

Avon Lodge cares for adults with personal care needs, including some with mental health issues, learning disabilities and autism. It has space for up to 12 people and 11 were resident when the inspection took place.

At that time, the home was being run by a temporary manager, after its registered manager had left the post. A permanent replacement was being recruited, the report said.

Looking at the leadership of the care home, the inspectors said:

“There were widespread and significant shortfalls in service leadership. Leaders and the culture they created did not assure the delivery of high-quality care.”

They added:

“There had been no recent engagement with people or their relatives to gather their views on the service. All the relatives we spoke with told us they had not received a questionnaire or been asked for their views. One relative told us, ‘Not for a long while, we got invited to a meeting once that was cancelled.’

“Professional visits to the home or people’s visit to healthcare professionals were not recorded effectively therefore there was no oversight of this contact.”

Inspectors also looked at the way the Mental Capacity Act was used. It is designed to ensure people are allowed to make their own decisions where possible, and when they are not able to do so that the decisions made are in their best interests.

They found there was inadequate record-keeping relating to its use and decisions made for people who were unable to consent.

Inspectors also found the environment of the care home was not always supportive of its residents.

They reported it was often loud and led to them being woken up, while some communal areas were out of use, and some soft furnishings to make it more homely, such as curtains, were missing.

There was poor record-keeping relating to residents’ allergies and family members said the meals provided at the home were not varied enough.

Inspectors made several recommendations in the report of ways in which Avon Lodge should be improved. They also said:

“The provider agreed with the shortfalls found during inspection and took some immediate action.

“The provider took on board the inspection feedback and discussed plans of how they would communicate with people and relatives about the inspection findings and action they were going to take as a result.”

The Stray Ferret contacted Avon Lodge and its owner, Care Network Solutions Ltd, to ask for a response to the report. However, we had not received a reply by the time of publication.

Pateley Bridge paramedic took his own life after being dismissed from job

A paramedic who lived in Pateley Bridge took his own life the day after he lost his job with the NHS, an inquest has heard.

Andrew Pickering was 57 when he was told he had committed gross misconduct at work, leading to his immediate dismissal from Yorkshire Ambulance Service on February 2 last year.

The inquest held today heard Mr Pickering had attempted to take his own life at home the same day, but was unsuccessful. He had gone to Harrogate District Hospital by ambulance, where he was assessed by the mental health crisis team in the early hours of February 3.

Senior crisis clinician Glen Wilson, from the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health services in the Harrogate district, told the inquest:

“He openly engaged with us. He was happy to talk to us. He answered questions about himself.

“Although he had [tried to take his own life], he then alerted someone to his actions. He agreed to come to the [emergency] department to be checked over. He agreed to be seen. He agreed to talk about the events leading up to it.”

Mr Wilson said Mr Pickering, a former RAF serviceman, agreed to follow-up appointments over the next few days and went home at around 6am.

Today’s inquest heard the loss of his job followed a six-month investigation, during which he could have been placed on other duties that would not have involved dealing with the public.

However, the inquest heard Mr Pickering was “embarrassed” by this and was instead signed off work sick. He had not told his family about the problems he faced.

‘Desperate person’

It had also been a stressful period in his personal life, including the breakdown of his 27-year marriage, which saw him move out of the family home he shared with his wife and two teenage children.

His former wife questioned why someone who had attempted suicide was sent home alone. She added:

“A desperate person was left to go home on his own in a taxi in the early hours of the morning to an empty home.”

Mr Wilson said follow-up phone calls were due to be made that day, and Mr Pickering would have been visited daily for at least three days by someone from the crisis team. He said:

“He was saying to me he worked in this field, he can see the devastation on families when people end their lives. He said he would never do that to his family and he was happy to engage with us.”

Staff at the crisis service called Mr Pickering four times between 9.30am and 1.15pm on February 3. They received no answer but, knowing he had been in hospital through the night, thought he must be catching up on sleep.

A friend and colleague, Jonathan Mellor, who knew Mr Pickering had gone to hospital the previous night, called by his house at 10.30am. Seeing Mr Pickering was not yet dressed, he suggested the pair go for a walk later and said he would return in a couple of hours.

When Mr Mellor returned at 12.50pm, he found Mr Pickering had taken his own life. Coroner Jonathan Heath today concluded he had died by suicide.

The inquest, held at the Coroner’s Court in Northallerton, heard Mr Pickering had been an “extremely popular and hard-working” paramedic but had struggled to deal with difficult family circumstances, leading to the situation that saw him put through the disciplinary process – which had lasted six months instead of the recommended four.

At one point, the inquest heard, comparisons were drawn between Mr Pickering and Wayne Couzens, the police officer who murdered Sarah Everard.

Prior to joining YAS in 2009, he had been in the RAF and served in Afghanistan soon after the birth of his son in 2007. His former wife said:

“He came back a very different person. Things were never quite the same.

“Over the years, I asked him to talk to someone, but he didn’t. He wasn’t abusive or violent, but he was more withdrawn.”

The inquest heard Yorkshire Ambulance Service had undertaken a ‘lessons learnt’ review following Mr Pickering’s death.

His brother Richard questioned the way the investigation following the death had been carried out. He said the family felt they had not been listened to and were not trusted to be part of the process.

YAS head of employee relations Alison Cockerill said:

“It was decided it should be internal. We were aware Andrew had deliberately kept some of what was happening from his family and we were still trying to navigate what that meant for us in terms of respecting Andrew’s wishes.”

Mr Heath said in future, the trust should consider adopting a policy of explaining the process to the family at the outset and showing them the findings at the end.

Mrs Cockerill said, following the review, YAS had put in place new measures to support people who were going through disciplinary processes, including assessing the impact on the individual alongside the risk to the public.

All managers and supervisors would now receive skills training to help them support people subject to disciplinary investigations, she added.

Let’s Get Better: NHS and partners launch new website for Harrogate district and beyond

This story is sponsored by Let’s Get Better.

Are you looking for help to improve you or your family’s physical and mental health? Do you want to take charge of your wellbeing and live a happier and healthier life? If yes, then read on.

If you live in the Harrogate area, Let’s Get Better is the ultimate destination for all your health and wellness needs. Our website, www.letsgetbetter.co.uk offers comprehensive resources, support and signposting to help you and your family Start Well, Age Well and Live Well.

The website has been put together on behalf of the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership – a collaboration of health, social care, community and charitable organisations in North Yorkshire and York, Hull and East Riding and North and North East Lincolnshire.

The launch of Let’s Get Better brings together lots of useful information and guidance to support you at every stage of your lifelong health journey – as well as help to take you to the “right care, first time” when you or a member of your family is unwell.

Whether you’re a young person looking for mental health support, a mum-to-be who’s looking for help to manage your pregnancy, or just want to get fitter, improve your diet, or manage stress, there’s something for everyone at Let’s Get Better.

We firmly believe in empowering people to take control of their health and wellbeing – and take steps to prevent ill health. With the right information at your fingertips, it will help you to play your part in looking after your health and the health of those around you – and help you choose the right care when you do have a health issue.

Dr Nigel Wells, clinical lead for the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, said:

“Our Partnership’s ambition is for everyone in our area to: start well, live well and age well.

“This means shifting the focus of our work from picking people up when they fall to helping to prevent them from becoming unwell in the first place and supporting more people to manage their health and wellbeing at home so they can get on with living happy and fulfilling lives.

“We hope the Let’s Get Better website will become the ultimate online health and wellbeing companion for everyone living in our area – and people’s first port of call when they need extra information and support to make decisions about their health and wellbeing.”

Stephen Eames, CBE, the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) Chief Executive added:

“We know that at the end of the day many people want to not only look after their health but also improve their wellbeing, both physically and mentally.

“There are lots of sources of health information available; the aim of Let’s Get Better, as more and more content is added, is to have an easy to navigate, dedicated online space where people can find out more about how to look after themselves – and where to go when they’re unwell.

“We want people to think beyond their family doctor – there are lots of other expert health professionals working in GP surgeries and many minor ailments can be resolved by going to see a local pharmacist. Or for more urgent care needs NHS 111 or an Urgent Treatment Centre can help, without having to go to a hospital’s Accident and Emergency department. Let’s Get Better explains all these services along with when you should use them and much more useful information.”

The Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership is one of 42 Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) which cover England to meet health and care needs across an area, coordinate services and plan in a way that improves population health and reduces inequalities between different groups.

We work across a geographical area of more than 1,500 square miles and serve a population of 1.7 million people, all with different health and care needs.

Find out more:

In addition to the Let’s Get Better website, the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership has launched a new Facebook page, Do give us a like!

We’ll be regularly posting short videos, sharing hints, tips, advice and guidance and posting topical content.

Fears for vulnerable families after changes to Harrogate district children’s centres

Concerns have been raised about vulnerable children and families missing out on vital support in the Harrogate district.

Parents and professionals have told the Stray Ferret changes to children’s centres, including the health visiting service, have led to a decline in the support available.

Mum Jen Earl said the support on offer after her son was born in April 2020 was a fraction of what it had been following the birth of her daughter in September 2018.

She said the difference is apparent when looking through her children’s record books, which showed regular checks at health visitor drop-in sessions for her daughter, but barely anything for her son. She said:

“I really missed that input. I didn’t have anywhere to go. You could ring the health visitor and leave a message and sometimes it would be two weeks before someone would phone back. Really, the type of questions you’re asking, you need a quick response.”

She used to attend a weekly breastfeeding support group in central Harrogate in 2019, where there was “always a friendly face and you could ask questions”. She also went to workshops about weaning and baby sleep.

She added:

“It’s so sad when I think of all the first-time mums who have missed out.

“It must be so frustrating for the health visitors because they went into their profession to support mums and babies in that initial phase. To not be able to do those basic things like weighing babies must be hard.”

Bilton Children’s Centre is based on the site of the former Woodfield Primary School

Mum Emily Clough, whose son was born in December 2020, said all her contact with the health visiting service was positive and useful, but she still suffered because of the lack of face-to-face opportunities.

“I felt supported by them directly, although there was no weigh-in, no face-to-face clinics – there was no social space. That’s what was missing for me.

“I’m glad I didn’t have any real long-standing challenges in breastfeeding or my son didn’t have any drops in weight. We didn’t have any concerns, but had those clinics been on, I would have taken him to be weighed.

“By default, that would have initiated other conversations.

“When I say I didn’t struggle, in hindsight I struggled in terms of being really isolated.”

One perinatal mental health professional, who asked not to be named, told the Stray Ferret local services were already seeing an impact from the reduction in face-to-face health visiting support.

She said she had worked across North Yorkshire for several years and the Harrogate district had previously had the best mental health support in the county, such as through the Mums in Mind support group.

Since covid, she said, there had been a rise in demand for perinatal mental health services. She believes this is because opportunities to spot problems at an early stage are no longer available.

She said:

“A lot of our referrals came from health visitors and midwives. That has significantly dropped. They’re just not out there seeing those women.

“We’re seeing people a lot more in crisis now than we ever did before.”

She added the impact of the changes had also affected health visitors, who she said were no longer able to carry out their roles as effectively as they wanted. She added:

“It’s just complete devastation and absolutely heartbreaking.”

‘Blended approach’

North Yorkshire County Council, which is responsible for support to families including the health visiting service, said children’s centres across the Harrogate district remain open.

Cllr Janet Sanderson, executive member for children and families, said:

“The majority of our children centres are now open and delivering targeted activities to children and their families where a need has been identified. The way we deliver activities has evolved as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Over the past two years, the Early Help service has redesigned the delivery of activities to support children and their families, moving to a blended approach of virtual and face-to-face activities.

“This has enabled the delivery of countywide virtual activities which families are able to access from their home, reducing the need for the number of premises.”

The council has already announced it will consult on the closure of five children’s centres across North Yorkshire, including Pateley Bridge, which have not been used since the pandemic. If that closure goes ahead, the facility is likely to be used by St Cuthbert’s Primary School, based in the same building.

Cllr Sanderson said the council was working alongside voluntary and community groups to develop activities in their areas. She said the Get Going Grant scheme had been used to support 93 groups in the last year.

Meanwhile, she said NYCC had invested in a programme to support parents with their mental health and it was also being used in schools and early years settings to increase access.

A Grow and Learn project was being run with libraries to deliver activities to support children’s early communication, she said, adding:

“As part of this work, we have developed a training programme which is accessible to all services working with children and families, including the voluntary and community sector.

“That enables agencies to access training to support them with their Early Help offer to children and their families.”

Ms Sanderson said virtual health visitor drop-in sessions had been available online since last summer instead of face-to-face sessions, while the new model of delivery also included sessions on topics including breastfeeding, weaning and other infant advice.

She also said any families with concerns can call the 0-19 service from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, on 0300 303 0916.

Have you been affected by the changes to children’s centres and the health visiting service? Email us or call the newsdesk on 01423 276197.

Former Made in Chelsea star on £1m charity quest in Ripon

Former Made in Chelsea reality TV star Josh Patterson ran into Ripon yesterday evening to complete the 21st leg of his marathon effort to raise £1million for the Samaritans.

The 33-year-old aims to run 76 marathons in 76 days, covering every city across the four nations of the UK.

After completing the Ripon stage at the city’s cathedral, he told the Stray Ferret:

“My goal is to raise £1million so that as many people as possible going through mental struggles can get the crucial support they need from the the charity.

“As well as raising money, I’m aiming to raise the profile of the incredible life-saving work that Samaritans do by answering phone calls from people in vulnerable situations and listening, giving guidance and letting those who need help know that they are never alone.”

Josh Patterson is pictured with (from left) Millie Gray, Lottie Venables, Leanne Anderson and Lisa Medd, who ran with him yesterday.

Mr Patterson posted some spectacular images of the Ripon leg of his challenge on his Instagram page here.

On the Justgiving page he has set up, he said he has personally been affected by mental illness over the years and pointed out:

“It is simply unimaginable to have to face mental health problems alone. Just £5 equals one lifesaving phone call (and) raising £1million will fund 200,000 phone calls.”

For yesterday’s Ripon marathon stage, Mr Patterson was joined by a number of local athletes, including Lottie Venables, who said:

“What Josh is doing is absolutely remarkable and I admire him for the way he is raising money for such an important cause.”

Today Mr Patterson is on the road again, with the 22nd leg of his marathon quest in York.

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New Harrogate group aims to combat loneliness in working mums

Problems of loneliness and isolation are often associated with older people.

But one social enterprise in Harrogate says the issue is just as likely to affect young mothers – and it is trying to put an end to the problem.

MyLifePool set up the Working Mums Network several years ago, but it stopped meeting during the covid pandemic.

Now, the group is being re-established to offer dinners, nights out, and events with speakers and social time, to enable like-minded mums to form stronger bonds.

Founder Vic Smith-Dunn said:

“Many working mums struggle with feeling disconnected from their peers and their community and motherhood is a significant trigger for loneliness. At myLifePool we understand that being a working mum can be an isolating experience, especially during these challenging times.

“That’s why we created a community where mums can connect, share experiences, and have fun together.”

One local mum recently posted on Facebook saying how lonely she was, prompting a flurry of responses offering support – including Vic.

She said she has been putting together new events over the last few weeks to combat loneliness and support people through rising fuel costs. They include the Warm Wednesdays social sessions, as well as a Lego club for primary school children and their parents.

While opportunities for families to get together during the day are popular, Vic said working parents often miss out and can be lonely even when they are busy.

She said:

“We often think that it’s retired people living alone who are in danger of becoming socially isolated, but new parents and working parents are just as vulnerable.

“It’s like the old saying goes, it’s possible to be lonely in a crowded room.

“This kind of thing is everything I’m so passionate about: people just need the opportunity and a gentle introduction to widen their social circle, which makes the world of difference to people’s mental health and, in turn, their physical health.”

The Working Mums Network will meet at Oatlands Community Centre next Wednesday, March 8, from 7pm to 9pm.

It will run in partnership with Parent Smart Learning, offering life hacks to help working parents to save time and make home life easier. A short presentation will be followed by time for socialising.

Tickets are free to myLifePool members, or £4 for non-members, who can get a month’s free trial to attend the event. To book a place, click here.

New men’s group to tackle isolation in Nidderdale

A new group is being set up in Nidderdale to help tackle isolation and loneliness in rural areas.

Hosted by Nidderdale Plus Community Hub in Pateley Bridge, it will offer men of all ages the chance to socialise and have fun.

It is being coordinated by Kirsty Dawson from Nidderdale Plus and Dave Rowson, befriending coordinator for the Harrogate district branch of mental health charity Mind. He told the Stray Ferret:

“There was some funding available for warm spaces initiatives, so we were speaking to community offices around the area about what they thought would be of interest.

“Nidderdale Plus said there are lots of little groups and things that are fairly female-orientated in the dale, but they felt they were not getting traction with the local men, who might be lonely and isolated and looking for things to do.”

The group will initially meet every fortnight, on a Tuesday morning. As it develops, it will set its own schedule and decide what the members want to do each time.

Suggestions put forward so far include board games, films, learning first aid and basic DIY, studying local history and practising photography. Visitors to the first session at the end of February also expressed an interest in trips out, such as to pub quizzes, museums, steam railways and sports events.

The group will initially meet at the Nidderdale Plus office

While attending the group is free, Mr Rowson said he recognised some people might not be ready to join it yet, but could be looking for other support.

The befriending service through Mind offers one-to-one chances for people to reconnect with others and build their confidence, which could lead them on to joining groups like the one in Pateley Bridge.

Mr Rowson said he hoped an informal social group might be an easy way for people to increase their network of friends and boost their mental health. He said he was speaking to local farming groups to build links with their members, raising awareness of the new group and what Mind can offer more broadly.

If there was enough interest, an afternoon or evening group could also be organised for people who worked during the day.

He added:

“That’s where I think some of the connections need to come from in the rural communities, to bring some of the men suffering with mental health or isolation. They aren’t in the elderly bracket, they’re just struggling and need some introductions.

“The motivation to get them there seems to be finding something that might spark their interest. Once they’re there, they end up talking about all sorts of things.”

The next session of the men’s group will be on Tuesday, March 7 from 10.15am until noon. To book a free place, email Nidderdale Plus or Dave Rowson.

Knaresborough Christmas tree fundraiser expands after huge demand

A charity project organised by young farmers in Knaresborough has proved so popular, it has been expanded before it has even started.

Knaresborough Young Farmers Club planned to visit villages around the area next Saturday, January 7, to pick up trees in exchange for a £5 donation to mental health charity Mind.

Demand for the collection has already been so high that the collection has been extended to include Knaresborough and Harrogate by arrangement.

A tractor and trailer will be taken through each village, with club members on foot. They will call at each house where a tree has been left out to organise the donation to the Just Giving page or by bank transfer.

Households also have the option of taking their tree to Manse Lane in Knaresborough between 9am and 3.30pm for a £3 donation.

Club chairman Katy Addyman said:

“Our club is well known for our annual tractor run, but since that was set up we’ve had an increase in junior members aged 10 to 16 and they now create the vast majority of the club.

“We wanted to arrange something where all of our members can get involved in some way and help raise money for a great cause.

“This wouldn’t be possible without Andway Healthcare, who are allowing us to use their car park on Manse lane, and Travis Perkins for providing us with a chipper, and our very generous club leaders who have put the time and effort in behind the scenes.”

The villages on the collection route are: Brearton, Coneythorpe, Farnham, Ferrensby, Flaxby, Follifoot, Goldsborough, Kirkby Overblow, Kirk Deighton, Lingerfield, Little Ribston, Nidd, North Deighton, Ripley, Scotton, and Spofforth.

Anyone in Knaresborough or Harrogate who wants to arrange a collection can complete the online formor call Katy on 07443 650033.

Harrogate student speaks in the House of Commons

A young Harrogate politician has spoken for his constituents in the House of Commons on the need for better mental health support.

Fourteen-year-old Brando Halloum is the Member of Youth Parliament for Harrogate and Craven.

Now a Year 10 student at Harrogate Grammar School, he moved to the UK in Year 5 having previously attended school in the United Arab Emirates.

He was one of more than 200 MYPs aged 11-18 who attended the meeting on November 4 in the House of Commons, the first of its kind since 2019.

Speaking of the experience, Brando said:

“To be elected as MYP and have the chance to represent my constituents in Westminster was a surreal experience – debating issues that matter most to my generation at the heart of our democracy, Parliament.

“It is now for decision makers, local and national, to ensure action is taken to address these issues. Ensuring no decision about my generation is made without us and that we remain at the heart of these integral conversations.”

Brando was invited to speak by the speaker of the house, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. He spoke of the need for improved mental health services across the UK for young people, telling the house of the racial abuse he had received and the lack of support he was given afterwards.

In the House of Commons, he said:

“I was unfortunately the victim of racial and Islamophobic abuse… When I reported this experience, people doubted me and I was given a plaster response, just put a quick band aid over the problem. It didn’t help.

“I spent months waiting for counselling which never came. I am calling for young people to be given adequate treatment and adequate response to racism and all forms of discrimination across this country and give mental health support to those who need it.”

Brando was elected by more than 9,000 young people to be the MYP of Harrogate and Craven this March, voted on through the Make Your Mark initiative for young people. Members of Youth Parliament are elected every two years.

He regularly campaigns with his fellow MYPs throughout the country to represent his constituent’s voice and debate issues and policies.

The primary campaign issue for Members of Youth Parliament this year is the cost of living crisis.

He said:

“The cost of living crisis is at the fore of my generation’s minds, and I am concerned about the clear and disproportionate impact this is having on my constituents’ mental health and wellbeing.”

Brando is also a member of the North Yorkshire Youth Council, in addition to being an RAF cadet.

The full morning session in which Brando spoke is below. He began speaking around 37 minutes into the session.

Staffing problems still affecting mental health services for Harrogate district residents

Mental health services for people across the Harrogate district still require improvement, according to the health regulator.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found the services provided by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) were below the standards expected.

However, inspectors said there had been some improvements since the last inspection report in December 2021.

At that time, TEWV’s forensic in-patient and secure ward services were found to be inadequate, with the trust ordered to make urgent improvements. Now, the service is rated ‘requires improvement’, though the ‘safe’ aspect of the inspection is still rated ‘inadequate’.

The report said:

“Fifteen patients we spoke to raised concerns regarding there not being enough staff on the wards. Patients told us staff spent a lot of time in the office which sometimes made them feel neglected.

“Two patients told us that they had not received their prescribed medication on the day we arrived due to staffing. Another patient told us they did not know who their key worker was.

“However, most patients said that staff were caring towards them.”

In-patient and secure wards for Harrogate district residents are provided elsewhere in the north-east after the mental health unit at Harrogate District Hospital, the Briary Ward, was closed down in 2020. The CQC inspection of TEWV’s services was carried out at Roseberry Park Hospital in Middlesbrough.

The Briary Wing, Harrogate District Hospital, which was closed in May 2020.

Inspectors said data provided about staffing levels over an eight-week period suggested the service was regularly understaffed to an unsafe level. However, managers said the data was inaccurate and there was always a nurse and support staff on duty.

The report said:

“Staff were frequently being moved to different wards during their shift based on risk, which meant they were often working in environments and with patients they were unfamiliar with.

“This was impacting on several areas within the service; incident data showed staff were not always able to provide a timely response to incidents. Staff were unable to carry out all clinical duties on time, such as administering medication and completing clinical audits.

“Staff were regularly unable to take their breaks off the ward. Patient’s hospital ground leave, Section 17 leave (permission to leave the hospital) and visits from friends and family were being cancelled daily at short notice.

“Patients told us they felt neglected and did not have enough time with staff. Carers we spoke to highlighted staffing pressures as a concern and felt it was impacting on patient’s continuity of care and their ability to visit their loved ones.”

Areas for improvement

The CQC set out 12 areas where the service must be improved in order to meet legal requirements, including adequate staffing levels, cleaning all wards, ensuring staff have up-to-date training, and reporting all incidents quickly and accurately

Naomi Lonergan, care group director of the secure inpatient services at TEWV, said:

“We have been working hard to improve the service since the previous Care Quality Commission inspection in June 2021 and we are encouraged by the improvement in the rating.

“We have recruited 70 health care assistants since the last inspection and we are working with local universities to support the recruitment of registered nurses. This is in addition to developing an international recruitment strategy which is already making a difference.

“We have set up a health care assistant council and one for nurses to improve how colleagues contribute to the quality of care within our trust.

“We are also focused on creating a community on our wards, through the work we do with our recovery and outcomes team who put on events and activities for people in our care that help their recovery.

“We recognise that there is more to be done. This includes an unrelenting focus on patient safety with our absolute priority being on safe staffing and safeguarding our patients. We continue to prioritise the experience of our patients, their carers and colleagues to make the improvements we need to and we are confident the service is making these changes and will continue to do so.”

Children’s mental health services ‘requires improvement’

Meanwhile, TEWV’s specialist community mental health services for children and young people which were rated ‘inadequate’ in the ‘safe’ category last year have now been rated ‘requires improvement’.

In a report published in September, following inspections over the summer, the CQC said:

“Although staffing levels, caseloads and waiting times for treatment had improved since the last inspection, the service did not always have enough nursing and support staff to keep patients safe. Vacancy rates varied by team…

“Caseload sizes had reduced across the community teams. Most of the staff told us there had been significant improvements to caseload sizes and caseloads were more manageable. Only two of the staff we spoke with raised concerns about staffing levels and caseload sizes.”

Inspectors said a recruitment drive meant two new matrons were about to begin work, with a focus on managing staff caseloads.

The average waiting time for treatment had reduced to 104 days, compared to 371 days in 2021, and the number of children waiting more than 12 months had reduced to 275 from more than 1,000 in the same time period.

The CQC, which inspected six teams within the community mental health service for children, said TEWV must adequately staff its service and continue to work to reduce waiting times.

Brent Kilmurray, chief executive of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We are pleased that the CQC have raised the rating for our community children and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) in the safe category.

“The CQC report acknowledges improvements that have been made, including how quickly we responded to address the issues identified at the previous inspection. It also recognises that we are achieving our targets of maintaining contact with children and young people on waiting lists.

“This is a step in the right direction, and a testament to the hard work from our CAMHS community teams across the trust.

“We know there is still work to do and more opportunities to improve the service. We will now focus on embedding the recommendations from the report to ensure that we provide the best care to the young people in our communities.”

Personal care needs

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‘Desperate person’

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‘Blended approach’

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Areas for improvement

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Children’s mental health services ‘requires improvement’