Newcastle hospitals ordered to make significant improvements to care after inspection

The Care Quality Commission has found Newcastle hospitals aren’t providing sufficient care for people with mental health needs, learning disabilities or autism.
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A recent inspection found the RVI and Freeman Hospital are not providing sufficient care to people with mental health needs, learning disabilities or autism.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) concluded the trust does not have effective processes ensuring people have consented to their treatment.

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With too much of a focus on physical health needs, it also found there are significant gaps in patients records for additional needs and reasonable adjustments and staff don’t effectively comply with records stipulated in the Mental Health Act.

However, the report highlights staff’s commitment and compassion when caring for patients with disabilities and mental health needs.

Sarah Dronsfield, CQC deputy director of operations in the north, said: “We found staff working hard under pressure, and having kind and caring interactions with people in the services we visted.

“However, the trust didn’t have effective systems and processes in place to ensure people with mental health need, a learning disability or autistic people received care that met their needs.”

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According to the report, the trust’s emergency department failed to complete mental capacity assessments or record decisions made about people who had presented a mental health need.

At times, these patients were prevented from leaving the department.

Sarah continues: “We will continue to monitor the trust and will return to check on the progress to ensure improvements have been made and embedded, so people receive the safe and effective care they have a right to expect.”