We did not visit this location as part of this planned review, therefore we did not have the opportunity to speak to people who use this service directly. However, we have considered the views of people using services from other locations within the Trust to inform our judgements.

There were nineteen patients at the Tarentfort Centre when we visited. We met and introduced ourselves to 17 of the patients. We spoke to 11 patients in more depth to get their views of the service.

Patients told us how they were assessed when they first came to the hospital and how this continued along each stage of their time there and on their discharge.

We saw that patients were involved in their care plans. They said, “I have got a care plan; I go to my ward round and can say what I want there.”

Patients talked to us about how their health needs were met. They said, “I always see the doctor when I need to.”

“If I ask to speak to a doctor then they come and sit with you and discuss things. Then the little things don’t get bigger.”

“I can make an appointment and go and see the dentist and optician when I need to.”

Patients showed us the information in the ward about how to contact an advocate, if they wanted to. One patient said, “There’s a number on the board, we phone them up and they come and discuss with you and then discuss it with the ward manager and it gets sorted”.

Patients told us they felt safe at the hospital. They knew that if they did not feel safe or were worried, they could talk to staff. They said that staff took action to help them to feel safe and resolved any issues.

Patients told us that staff talked to them and tried to use techniques that would help to calm them down when needed. They said that restraint or seclusion was rarely used because of how staff worked with them to resolve issues.