The Quality Network for Inpatient CAMHS is a quality improvement network run by the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ College Centre for Quality Improvement (CCQI). It is a national project developed to ensure best practice is being achieved in inpatient CAMHS services.
Amongst other things the peer review team assess standards of care, current facilities, standards of documentation and health records, environmental facilities, and staff training qualifications, support and supervision. As part of the accreditation process the peer review team interviewed staff, parents and the young people on both services.
Buttercup Ward is a low secure CAMHS service and met 95% of the 294 standards it was measured against. Primrose Ward is a specialist PICU CAMHS service and met 94% of the 294 standards it was measured against.
Amongst the areas of achievement highlighted in the reports are the following:
- Communication with parents is outstanding and staff call parents twice a day to provide an update on progress. This was also highlighted and praised by parents.
- Parents are very complimentary of staff describing them as “having a heart of gold” and that “it is not a gold standard service; it is a platinum service”.
- All young people report that staying on the ward has helped them.
- The environment is used flexibly in response to need, such as the use of the school out of hours so young people can access Wi-Fi.
- Young people’s bedrooms are well personalised and include chalk boards to encourage young people to express themselves.
- Young people have access to a gym instructor and a well-resourced gym which includes a TV and water machine.
- A culture of least restrictive practice is promoted.
- All staff are Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) trained to level 3.
“The Buttercup and Primrose teams are extremely proud to have gained QNIC accreditation. Each team member has worked tirelessly and efficiently to support young people on their services. I would like to thank all my colleagues that contributed to gaining the accreditation. I would also like to thank the young people and families that have worked collaboratively with the team to ensure that recovery goals have been achieved.”Suki Tshuma, Clinical Manager
Hannah Lucas, Programme Manager at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, which runs the QNIC quality improvement network through the College Centre for Quality Improvement said:
“QNIC would like to congratulate Wizard, Mulberry, Buttercup and Primrose Wards at Cygnet Hospital Bury on achieving accreditation. They make up four of just 29 CAMHS units across the country to have demonstrated compliance with 100% of the QNIC type 1 standards, ensuring young people and their families are treated and supported safely, with dignity and respect.
“Well done to all teams for their work in preparing for the reviews and for engaging to enthusiastically with the accreditation process.”
