During our visit we spoke with five of the 10 people who used the service (patients) and with five members of the staff team. Patients told us that they were very satisfied with the care and treatment they received at Workington Community Hospital.

One patient told us, “The staff are very, very good.” Another said, “Staff are very caring. They ask you about your goals, encourage you, and know my capabilities.”

We saw from patients’ records and from speaking with patients and staff that planning meetings were held regularly for individuals with other professionals who contributed to their care and treatment. These multi disciplinary meetings would ensure people received the right support when they were ready for discharge from the hospital.

We spoke with senior nursing staff who told us that they had recently instigated a "best interest" meeting. This was to ensure that the person concerned was not deprived of their liberties and that people involved in their care and treatment were making decisions in the best interests of the person involved.

We saw that mobile emergency equipment used for resuscitation had been checked on a regular basis and these checks were recorded. This meant that the equipment was safe for use at any time.

All patients completed a questionnaire on discharge which asked them about their experience whilst at the Workington Community Hospital. The information gathered from the questionnaire was analysed and any issues arising from it dealt with to help improve the service provided.