NSFT’s ‘safe and supportive’ forensic and secure services praised by CQC
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust's (NSFT) forensic and secure services as 'good' while praising the safe and supportive care which staff provide.
The Trust has received the 'good' overall rating, together with 'good' ratings in each of the five separate domains, following an inspection in October.
The service was also rated as 'outstanding' in two sub-domains - the way staff listen to and involve people and deliver evidence-based care and treatment - with inspectors saying:
The service is exceptional at maximising the effectiveness of people's care and treatment by assessing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.
The service was exceptional at helping people share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support.
The ratings are an improvement from the service's last inspection in 2018, when it was rated as 'requires improvement' in the 'safe' domain and 'good' in every other area.
Additional areas of good practice highlighted in the report include:
Service users are treated with compassion, empathy and kindness, and told inspectors they feel listened to and respected.
There is a proactive and positive safety culture in place which is based on openness and honesty. Lessons are continually learnt so that good practice can be embedded.
Staff provide safe, supportive care which meets people's needs.
Service users are involved in their care and contribute fully to individualised risk assessments and positive behaviour support plans. Staff also work with service users to develop care plans which are personalised, holistic and recovery-focused.
Staff are focused on improving people's lives while protecting them from harassment, bullying, abuse, avoidable harm and neglect.
Staff told inspectors they feel safe and valued at work, while their wellbeing is prioritised.
The service has inclusive leaders at all levels who have the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively.
There is a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the service.
Staff have the right qualifications, skills and experience and receive effective support, supervision and development.
A wide range of activities are provided to help service users develop their living skills, including cooking, woodworking and gardening. Social activities, such as gym sessions, movie nights and a rambling group, also regularly take place.
Action is already being taken to make some physical changes to the ward environment to enhance safety, which the CQC highlighted as an area for improvement.
Caroline Donovan, Chief Executive Officer at NSFT, said: We are justifiably proud of this positive report, which highlights the wide-ranging good practice which is in place across our forensic and secure services. It demonstrates the high quality of care that is provided day in and day out by our incredible staff and is a tribute to the fantastic leadership team, who show great dedication to delivering safe, kind and effective services.
This inspection outcome demonstrates that the investments we have made in strengthening our clinical leadership, developing new locality teams and improving our culture have borne fruit.
We are particularly pleased that the inspection team rated the service as 'outstanding' in two sub-domains, while describing elements of the care our teams provide as 'exceptional'. This is as acknowledgement of the significant improvements we have been making to ensure we consistently provide safer, kinder and better services to everyone who needs our support.
NSFT's Chair, Zoë Billingham CBE, said: I would like to pass on my sincere thanks and congratulations to staff in our forensic and secure services. They can be very proud of the improvements they have made and the care their service users are receiving.
However, we realise there is still more to do, and are determined to ensure the high standards highlighted in this report are replicated in all of the services we provide across Norfolk and Suffolk.