'Concerns remain' at trust where patients abused

A mental health trust where a "toxic culture" saw patients abused in 2022 has been rated as inadequate again despite some improvements.

The secure unit the Edenfield Centre in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, was the subject of a BBC Panorama investigation which revealed how patients were humiliated and bullied.

In its latest report into forensic inpatient and secure wards at the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH), the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found issues with patient safety and pressures on staff and said some still felt unable to speak up about their concerns.

GMMH, which runs Edenfield, said it accepted the findings and had "worked at pace" to address the problems identified.

Inspectors from the CQC made an unannounced inspection in April and May 2024, giving the trust an overall rating of inadequate.

Alison Chilton, its deputy director of operations in the north, said: "The trust's processes didn't always ensure the environment was safe for people.

"We found some wards which carried out 15-minute security checks to keep people safe had gaps and missing signatures in their records."

Other issues included staff being asked to carry out observations for hours without a break, ligature risks not being identified and unsafe management of medicines.

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Source: BBC News, 18 January 2025