Archived: Priory Hospital Malvern

Updated 8 August 2019

Abbey House is owned and operated by the Priory Group. The service opened in 2008 and specialised in the care and treatment of men with a mental illness. They classed themselves as a longer-term high dependency rehabilitation unit. Abbey house is a 25-bedded unit that provides short- and long-term rehabilitation in a locked environment. The site also housed five semi-independent flats providing step down support to patients before they move on from hospital. At the time of our inspection, there were 11 patients in the main hospital and two in the semi- independent flats. Of these, one patient was there on a voluntary basis. The hospital director was the registered manager at the site. We last inspected Abbey House in September 2017 and rated it good overall. We rated safe as requires improvement and good for effective, caring, responsive and well led. We conducted an follow up inspection in April 2018 and found the service to have complied with our previous breaches of regulation.

Abbey House is registered for the following activities:

• assessment or medical treatment for persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1983

• diagnostic and screening procedures

• treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

Updated 8 August 2019

We rated Abbey House as requires improvement because:

• Medicines were not always being stored safely and recorded appropriately, in line with the provider’s policy and procedures.

• Staff were not being supervised in line with the provider’s policy and guidance.

• Maintenance of equipment required to maintain patient’s independence was not provided in a timely manner.

However,

• The service provided safe care. The ward environment was safe and clean. The service had adequate staff. Staff assessed and managed risk well and followed good practice with respect to safeguarding.
• Staff developed holistic, recovery-oriented care plans informed by a comprehensive assessment. They provided a range of treatments suitable to the needs of the patients cared for in a mental health rehabilitation ward and in line with national guidance about best practice. Staff engaged in clinical audit to evaluate the quality of care they provided.
• The ward team included the full range of specialists required to meet the needs of patients on the ward. Managers ensured that these staff received training and appraisal. The ward staff worked well together as a multidisciplinary team and with those outside the ward who would have a role in providing aftercare.
• Staff understood and discharged their roles and responsibilities under the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and understood the individual needs of patients. They actively involved patients and families and carers in care decisions.
• Staff planned and managed discharge well and liaised well with services that would provide aftercare. As a result, discharge was rarely delayed for other than a clinical reason, or beyond their control such suitable placements being sought and funded.
• The service worked to a recognised model of mental health rehabilitation. It was well led and the governance processes ensured that ward procedures generally ran smoothly.

Updated 8 August 2019