From a recent survey carried out by staff at Bodmin hospital, people who use the service stated that they prefer to be referred too as ‘patients’ as they are in a hospital setting. Therefore in this report we will refer to people who use the service as patients.

Patients that we spoke with during the site visit were positive about the care they received and were also complimentary regarding the staff who work with them.

We were told: "staff listen and they are supportive", " If we raise any issues the staff respond". Some patients told us that they are aware of their care plans and that they are involved in decisions about how they will receive their care. Some people were unable to speak with us due to their current illness.

We are aware that some patients in the hospital are detained under the Mental health Act 1983 amended 2007 and therefore not all patients wish to be there. Some patients told us that they did not want to be a patient in the hospital but due to their health needs they understand they need treatment. We observed staff approaching and responding to patients in a calm manner and reassuring patients who were asking for assistance.

Patients we spoke with raised no concerns in how they received their care or support. Patients told us that staff are working with them to help them take up interests and hobbies in the community and were enthusiastic about the activities that take place on the wards. For example we saw that art therapy takes place in a number of the wards. A well equipped gym that patients use, a music mixing studio, access to computers, therapy room (The Retreat), private space for telephone calls. Patients are able to bring in their own equipment to pursue hobbies and interests for example we saw musical instruments. We were told by patients that they had access to college courses in the hospital, certificates demonstrated achievements made in these areas. Individual wards had garden areas that patients helped to maintain and develop.

Patients were in the main complimentary about the food that is provided. They acknowledged that trying to cater for the number of patients all with differing tastes would be hard to meet everyone’s likes. Patients were keen to tell us about the cooking sessions that they participate in, either individually or within a group setting. They also told us that on one ward there is a take away night and this again is enjoyed by the patients. Patients told us that they can choose where to eat their meals, and we observed patients having their meals in the dining areas or in their own bedrooms.

Patients that we spoke with during this site visit told us that if they had a complaint or a concern they would be able to speak to a member of staff and that their concern would be addressed and that they do not fear any repercussions.

Patients told us that in the main staff are kind and helpful. Some patients felt that staff could be more professional in how they approach them. We were told a variety of views about staff such as one patient felt that a minority of staff ‘can laugh at them’. One patient said that his experience of being in hospital had been ‘very good’; another said staff were ‘very good and supportive’. One patient said he felt safe on Harvest ward.

Some patients had mixed views about the care they received. Two people queried how staff manage challenging situations and one raised the need for a quiet space which they feel they would benefit from. A visitor also echoed this.

There were no concerns regarding the quality of food or cleanliness in the ward.

Bodmin hospital caters for patients with differing mental health needs. We found that patients who received care and treatment on Garner and Bowman wards and at Fettle House, thier stay was of a longer duration. Therefore as staff developed relationships with patients over a longer period of time they were more aware of their particular needs. This was in contrast to patients who were admitted, usually under a time of acute crises to Harvest and Fletcher wards where their duration of stay was shorter. Therefore staff had a a different challenge in identifying the patients needs in a smaller timescale.

We spoke with at least fifteen patients over the three day inspection who were receiving care and treatment on Garner, Harvest Fletcher, Fettle and Bowman wards. Some patients were unable to speak with us due to their current health needs. We spoke with the ward managers, senior members of Trust staff, nurses, health care assistants, occupational therapists, consultant psychiatrist, domestic staff and the trusts safeguarding team.

The majority of patients told us they received “good” care and were positive regarding how staff met their particular care needs. Patients were also complimentary about the staff who worked with them. We found patients experienced care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights.

To help us to understand the experiences of people, we used our Short Observational Framework for Inspection tool (SOFI) on Fletcher ward The SOFI tool allowed us to observe 13 patients and record how people spent their time, the type of support they received and whether they had a positive experience.

We undertook observations of staff interacting with people who used the service. We saw staff responded to and approached people in a kind and calm manner. We saw that staff showed, through their actions during conversations with patients, and in discussions with us, empathy and understanding towards the people they cared for.

Patients told us that staff supported them to take up interests and hobbies in the community, as well as on the wards. Patients were in the main complimentary about the food provided.

The trust was aware that staff attendance at training needed to be improved and were addressing this. This would ensure that staff skills were updated. The trust also acknowledged that formal supervision, where the staff member meets with their line manager, to review their practice, needed to be undertaken more regularly. Staff told us they felt supported by the senior management team and if they had any concerns these would be listened to and acted upon.

Staff and patients told us the staffing levels were appropriate on the wards. However when we undertook our SOFI observation we identified staff at times were not deployed to meet patients’ needs effectively.