Archived: The Priory Hospital Potters Bar

Updated 6 December 2016

The Priory Hospital Potters Bar offers two mixed sex acute wards providing 24 hour care and support, and a period of intensive assessment and stabilisation for service users suffering an acute mental health episode. Potters Bar hospital accepts referrals nationally,and admits patients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It provides full medical, clinical and therapeutic package including pharmacological interventions when required. The hospital also has two high dependency units. We did not include these in this inspection.

The Priory Hospital Potters Bar provides mental health care and treatment for adults of working age. We visited Crystal ward and Ruby ward during our inspection which are the acute admission wards. At the time of inspection Crystal ward, which was a 12 bed ward, had 11 patients and Ruby ward, which was a 20 bed ward, had 19 patients. Patients admitted to these wards have a range of presenting mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia. Treatments include psychotropic medication, psychological therapies, occupational therapy, and support from nursing staff.

The hospital was last inspected 18 to 20 November 2015 and was rated good in all five domains with no compliance issues. However, a Mental Health Act review visit that took place on 19 May 2016 had identified concerns that the hospital had responded to with an action plan. All but one of these action points had been completed at the time of this inspection.

Updated 6 December 2016

We rated The Priory Hospital, Potters Bar overall as good because:

• Each ward was purpose built and designed for safe and effective staff observation of patients. Patients told us they felt safe and well supported by staff.
• Staff had mandatory training in those areas identified by their provider, including de-escalation and diversionary techniques. This is where staff learnt to calm and manage difficult patient behaviour through talking.
• Patient care and treatment plans were comprehensive and completed in a timely manner. The occupational therapist and their team provided a good range of daily programmes and activities. A wide range of staff from different specialties took part in every ward round and involved the patient wherever possible.
• Staff had received training in, and had a good understanding of, the Mental Health Act 1983, the Code of Practice and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff had assessed and documented patients’ mental capacity and ability to consent to their treatment and care.
• Patients told us that they had effective and supportive meetings with their named nurse and the clinical notes supported this. Individual care and treatment records were up-to-date and relevant. Patients had access to independent advocacy services and the provider displayed information about these services across the wards.
• The hospital received patients from all over the UK, when NHS hospitals did not have enough beds available. This sometimes resulted in short-term admissions. The provider reported good joint working with NHS trusts around arrangements for transferring patients in and out of the service.
• The hospital had a robust patient complaints process.
• The hospital had a ‘lessons learnt’ group, which provided information and guidance to senior managers and each ward. Staff told us that senior managers visited their area and were accessible if they had any concerns. Frontline staff took part in clinical audits and used the findings to improve services for patients. Frontline staff spoke of having good morale on all wards. There was a low level of staff sickness.

However:

• Seven patients out of 36 said that staff had not given them a copy of their care plan and had not involved them in developing it.
• Nursing staff expressed frustration over the amount of paperwork they needed to complete, which they felt did not give them enough time with patients to deliver care and treatment.

Updated 13 June 2016