Scathing inspection for Northampton mental health ward with 'dismissive, mocking' staff and 'unsafe' wards

"Unsafe" wards, "judgmental, mocking" staff and even slip-ups in complying with the Mental Health Act.

These were just a few of the problems inspectors have found at a Northampton mental health hospital they have branded "unsafe".

Broomhiill, operated by St Matthew's Healthcare in Holdenby Road, Spratton, provides rehabilitation and care for up to 95 patients with mental health issues. It was even rated "good" in its last inspection in 2017.

But in a new damning report by the healthcare watchdogs, the CQC have listed failures in almost every aspect of care at the hospital - from suggestions staff did not have the necessary skills to look after patients to calling wards outright "unsafe".

It even points to how staff were "illegally" administering medication to three patients because of failures to comply with the Mental Health Act.

Broomhill claims it took "immediate action" during and after the visit in early-February and is now in "a very different position".

The report reads: "At this inspection, we had urgent concerns about the safety of patients at Broomhill.

"Patients did not feel cared for. Some patients reported staff as rude, impatient, judgmental, dismissive and mocking.

"[Staff] had not recognised and responded appropriately to abuse or discriminatory practice. Staff did not fully understand how to protect patients from abuse or work well with other agencies to do so."

The failings led to the CQC taking immediate action. It has branded the hospital "inadequate" and placed it under special measures by the watchdog's chief inspector.

Meanwhile, a list of immediate improvements that had to be made was imposed. Five of these six conditions have reportedly now been lifted after Broomhill produced "an immediate action plan" in the four weeks since the inspection.

The report reads: "The leadership, governance and culture did not support the delivery of good quality person-centred care.

"Leaders did not have a full understanding of the culture within the organisation and were not fully in touch with what was happening on the front line"

St Matthews Healthcare - which operates five other healthcare sites in Northampton, all of which are currently rated 'good' - says it has made "significant improvements" since the visit by the CQC.

Director of Nursing and Clinical Services Kelly Mulhern said: "Following the inspection, key meetings were held with CQC and an action plan created to improve the areas of concern that had been highlighted.

"St Matthews Healthcare operates in an open and transparent manner, and our aim is to deliver safe, quality care to those that use our service. Throughout this period, we welcomed our commissioners into our service to review service users to ensure they were happy with the care and treatment, to which we received very positive feedback.

"We are due to be inspected by CQC within the next 6 months and we look forward to further demonstrating the improvements we have made and to see an improvement within the ratings."