Home / Health / Mental Health Ward Fails Inspection Amid Staffing Crisis
Mental Health Ward Fails Inspection Amid Staffing Crisis
18 Jun
Summary
- Ardleigh Ward faces issues with staff burnout and safety concerns.
- Inspectors found high-risk items and inadequate alarm responses.
- Trust used bank/agency staff 432 times in three months.
Ardleigh Ward, an 18-bed inpatient unit at Colchester Hospital, has been found to have significant issues, including staffing shortages and a high rate of self-harm incidents. An unannounced inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in January revealed that staff felt burnt out and described the ward as unsafe.
Inspectors noted a lack of appropriate responses to ligature alarms and that high-risk items were present in communal areas. One serious incident involving a prohibited item leading to self-harm was not logged. The inspection also found a bedroom in poor condition.
During the three months preceding the inspection, the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) utilized bank and agency staff 432 times. Staff sickness rates remained around 17% throughout the inspection period. Despite these challenges, permanent staff were recognized as experienced and knowledgeable.
EPUT stated they had alerted relevant authorities to concerns about staffing and requested a rapid review to resolve issues. The trust welcomed the CQC's scrutiny and confirmed that the outlined actions are now in place. The CQC did not re-rate the service, and the previous rating of 'requires improvement' for EPUT's acute wards remains.
