CQC criticises ‘ineffective leadership’ at mental health provider
Appletree Hospital in Durham, a unit that provides female patients needing mental health care, has received an urgent enforcement notice from the Care Quality Commission.
According to a report published by the CQC today, the hospital had “ineffective leadership”, also warning staff were carrying out “inappropriate” restraint on patients and that restraint was used “as a first line intervention”. The CQC report revealed staff had also claimed managers accepted the use of “unnecessary” restrictive practices.
A spokeswoman for Cygnet’s Appletree unit said: “We move forward with strengthened local leadership, including a new hospital director and safeguarding and quality improvement leads.”
Source: HSJ, 25 August 2021