The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Cygnet Hospital Sheffield good following an inspection which took place in September.
The children and young people’s mental health hospital had been previously rated as requiring improvement at its last inspection in July 2017. Since then, CQC carried out a series of focused inspections to address concerns and ensure improvements were being made.
Following the September inspection, the service is now rated good overall, and for being safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
Inspectors found the service provided safe care, that wards were safe and well maintained, that leadership, governance and culture drove improvements to person-centred care and there were now recruitment and retention strategies in place which improved rates of staff turnover.
However, elements for further work were also identified. Discharge care plans were not always reflective in the adult services, patients reported food was not of a good standard and there were a high number of self-harm incidents across the words.
Credit to staff and leadership
Brian Cranna, head of hospital inspection for mental health and community health services at the CQC, said: “We welcome the improvements made to the quality of care provided by Cygnet Hospital Sheffield and would like to give credit to the staff and leadership team for their work.
“Staff were making a difficult time in people’s lives, that little bit easier by treating them with compassion and kindness, and actively involving people and their families in decisions about their care.
“This was reflected in the feedback we heard with patients describing they felt well cared for, that their views were respected, and families felt welcome and confident to raise concerns if they had any.”
Cranna also noted the hospital had created a positive and inclusive culture including being mindful of people’s preferred names and hosting celebratory Pride events.
“Young people were encouraged to celebrate their talents, and some had used this to personalise the wards and their bedrooms with murals and paintings,” Cranna continued.
“Many young people told us, it was the best placement they had experienced.
“Overall, the service was well-led, and the systems and processes enabled wards to run smoothly. We encourage Cygnet Sheffield Hospital to continue their hard work and sustain the improvements.”
Tom Griffiths, hospital director at Cygnet Hospital Sheffield, said: “I am delighted that the CQC has recognised the exceptional work of all staff at Cygnet Hospital Sheffield.
“The past two years have not been easy for the sector, but we have maintained our focus on delivering better and better care for our service-users. That is a testament to the incredible dedication of our staff who strive for excellence every single day.”
