Hull Community Mental Health Services Downgraded After CQC Identifies Six Breaches

Community-based mental health services for working-age adults in Hull, provided by Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, have been downgraded from good to requires improvement following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The inspection took place in March as part of the regulator’s national programme assessing adult community mental health services.

CQC identified six new regulatory breaches involving risks to people waiting for treatment, staffing shortages, medicines management, delays in care and weaknesses in systems designed to protect people awaiting support.

Although the trust had addressed a previous breach relating to mandatory training compliance, inspectors found further concerns about the safety and quality of care.

The regulator issued a warning notice requiring significant improvements in how the service manages people waiting for treatment and monitors the physical health of patients prescribed medicines. The trust has also been asked to submit an action plan outlining how it will address the findings.

Ratings for effectiveness, responsiveness and leadership were downgraded from good to requires improvement. Safety was also rated requires improvement, while the caring rating remained good.

CQC found that some people were not receiving consistent care when moving between services. Inspectors also identified weaknesses in medicines management and delays in reviewing abnormal test results.

Two people told inspectors they had not received regular medication reviews with a doctor. One had stopped taking prescribed medicines after experiencing problems but could not access the review and support needed.

Another person had waited two years for treatment after transferring from child and adolescent mental health services to the adult community team. Some people also reported difficulties accessing support outside normal working hours.

Staffing was another concern, with leaders not always ensuring sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and experienced professionals were available to meet people’s needs. The trust reported recruiting five nurses, although they had not started work by the time of the inspection.

Inspectors also found weaknesses in management arrangements and how leaders responded to information about potential risks to people’s safety.

Despite the concerns, CQC found that people were supported to understand their rights and maintain independence, choice and control over their care and wellbeing.

Inspectors also reported that staff listened to people’s concerns, understood their preferences and responded to distress or discomfort. Patients and carers described staff as kind and respectful, while carers said they were included in decisions about their relatives’ care and treatment.

Jayne Reid, CQC deputy director of mental health in the north east, said the quality of care had declined significantly since the previous inspection. She highlighted concerns about treatment delays, medicines reviews and staffing, while acknowledging positive feedback about staff and the involvement of carers.

CQC said trust leaders had informed the regulator that improvements had begun since the March inspection. The regulator will continue monitoring the service to assess progress and ensure people are kept safe.

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