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'High' violence levels on mental health wards

23/07/2008

High levels of violence occur on mental health wards, England's health watchdog warned today.

A report for the Healthcare Commission found that 45 per cent of nurses and 15 per cent of patients reported they were physically assaulted in 2007.

It also warned that there was insufficient attention to the sexual safety of patients and overcrowding in some trusts.

Overall one in nine trusts scored 'weak' on criteria relating to safety; in these trusts there was considerable room for improvement in ensuring the safety of service users, visitors and staff.

The commission's report also said that the quality of services varies widely across the country.

The study, the most comprehensive assessment of NHS acute inpatient mental health services ever undertaken, looked at all 69 NHS trusts providing acute inpatient mental health services in England.

Overall, eight trusts were rated as 'excellent'; 20 as 'good'; 30 as 'fair' ; and 11 as 'weak'.

No trust scored 'excellent' across all four of the key criteria used in the assessment.

But the Healthcare Commission said while some trusts struggle to meet standards, there are a number of high-performing trusts, proving that it is possible to provide personalised, safe and good quality acute mental health care.

"There are cases where people are not always getting the personalised, safe, high quality care that they need. This is happening at a time of crisis in their lives and it cannot be ignored," commented Healthcare Commission chief executive Anna Walker.

"I think that society is sometimes reluctant to talk about mental health care concerns, but I'm afraid the problems are not going to just go away. We need to have the same high expectations for these services as we do for other parts of the NHS.

"With the support of trust boards, commissioners and the government, we can get all services up to this benchmark and provide the high standard of care that patients deserve," she added.

Mental health charity Mind said it is "deeply concerned" at the number of trusts rated as 'weak'.

"The best performing trusts were those that provided a therapeutic environment and engaged patients in meaningful activities - these things shouldn't be the preserve of our best hospitals, but should be absolutely fundamental to mental health care across the board," said Mind policy officer Emily Wooster.

Steve Shrubb, director of the Mental Health Network, which represents the majority of mental health trusts, added: "While it is clear that there are still places where acute inpatient services are not acceptable it is also clear that a great deal of progress has been made in the last eight years and most acute inpatient wards offer a good or fair level of care.

"The NHS can provide excellent acute inpatient care and it is this best practice that needs to be spread more widely. The NHS Confederation's Mental Health Network continues to be a key partner in the national acute mental health project board which is working to support trusts in making improvements."