A controversial mental health unit remains in special measures after being rated “inadequate” for the second consecutive time.
St Andrew’s Healthcare Adolescent Service, in Northampton, was given the rating after a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in December.
Matthew Garnett with his mother Isabelle
The CQC first rated it “inadequate” in March and April 2019.
Unapproved restraint techniques
The organisation was concerned about unapproved restraint techniques. These had included dragging patients along the floor and injuring them.
The service cannot take new patients without CQC approval.
Kevin Cleary is CQC deputy chief inspector of hospitals.
He said the CQC is “hugely disappointed”.
In some important areas safety has “deteriorated”, he added.
Campaigning parents
Isabelle Garnett, 51, campaigned with husband Robin, 52, to get son Matthew out of St Andrew’s.
Matthew, 19, spent nearly two years there after going for an assessment. His family had believed the assessment would take up to 12 weeks.
His mother says he endured fortnightly restraints and forced injections.
Garnett, from London, said: “This is human rights abuse.”
Matthew, who has autism and ADHD, is now thriving in residential care.
St Andrew’s plans to reduce patient numbers
St Andrew’s plans to reduce patients at its child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) from 99 to 30.
The current service will close and it will move patients to a smaller Northampton service.
The CQC rated St Andrew’s as “inadequate” overall, as well as for its safety standards and quality of leadership.
The CQC rated it as “requires improvement” regarding whether services are effective, and “good” on being caring and responsive.
Staff ‘overstretched’
Katie Fisher is St Andrew’s chief executive.
She said the site’s current model of care was “wrong”.
She addedd that the CAMHS facility was Europe’s largest, leaving staff “overstretched”.
Fisher said St Andrew’s took action against “a handful of staff members”.
She apologised and said the site needed “significant changes” quickly.
Related:
- Hospital placed in special measures
- Crisis keeps 2,500 in treatment units
- Parents fight assessment/treatment units
- Centre pins patients face down 600 times
- Parents forced to launch petitions
Published: 27 February 2020
