King’s Norton Hospital, our acute mental health service that supports adults with severe and complex mental health conditions in Birmingham, is celebrating its Care Quality Commission (CQC) overall rating of ‘Good’ after its first inspection.
King’s Norton Hospital is a state-of-the-art service that provides high-quality intensive treatment for up to thirty-two patients across three specialist wards. The hospital recently held an open day to showcase its newly refurbished facilities and welcomed the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Ken Wood, and Lady Mayoress Barbara Wood as guests.
Commenting on the ‘Good’ rating, Craig Ward, Hospital Director at King’s Norton Hospital, said, “We are proud to have achieved our initial CQC rating, reflecting our commitment to delivering high-quality patient care. Our dedicated team have worked diligently to establish a safe, therapeutic environment that upholds the highest evidence-based care standards.
Beyond inpatient treatment, our focus extends to long-term recovery and reintegration into the community.
We empower patients to transition confidently into community living through meaningful engagement, tailored support, personalised therapies, and strategic collaboration with our partners.”
Below are some of the highlights taken from the report:
Safe
Staff at King’s Norton Hospital demonstrated a strong understanding of safeguarding procedures and consistently shared learning from incidents across the team through reflective practice and clinical governance.
Restraint was limited and only applied as a last resort, with ‘Safewards’ techniques used to reduce restrictive practices.
The report also found that staff at King’s Norton Hospital are trained to assess and manage patient risks effectively, and there noted the collaborative working with external partners and families to support safe care transitions.
Effective
The report stated that patients received care and treatment in accordance with good practice standards. Patients were also encouraged to exercise to promote a healthier lifestyle.
Psychologists and occupational therapists used recognised tools to measure patient outcomes following therapeutic interventions and involved the patient and their relatives in these. The psychologists and occupational therapists also showed that the therapies offered were evidence-based and in line with good practice standards.
The capacity of patients at King’s Norton Hospital to consent to their care and treatment was also assessed and recorded.
Caring
The report noted that the staff wellbeing was being promoted, and all staff were given opportunities to develop.
It was also observed that staff at King’s Norton Hospital were kind and treated patients with respect and compassion. Patients said staff listened to them, which made them feel valued. The patients were also supported in maintaining contact with their family and friends.
Responsive
The CQC inspectors observed patients meeting with the multidisciplinary team about their care and treatment. The King’s Norton Hospital team also considered the patients’ relatives and how they could be involved if the patient agreed to this.
It was also noted that the patients valued the support of the psychologists, occupational therapists, and the therapies provided.
Patients knew how to complain, and the staff knew how to respond. Patients were also asked for their views in community meetings.
Well-led
The Hospital Director has improved the systems to ensure their effectiveness.
The report noted the managers’ visibility and the service’s culture regarding equality, diversity, and inclusion.
The Freedom to Speak Up Guardian visits the hospital regularly and allows staff to give feedback on improving the service. The governance systems effectively assessed and identified risks to patients who used the service and ensured enhanced quality of care.
Congratulations to all involved in this fantastic accomplishment!
For further information about King’s Norton Hospital, please visit their webpage.
