- Independent mental health service
St Andrews Healthcare Northampton
Report from 11 November 2024 assessment
Contents
Ratings - Child and adolescent mental health wards
Our view of the service
The child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) at St Andrews hospital Northampton, has significantly reduced over time. The hospital has 2 CAMHS wards, but only one in use currently, which is Seacole ward. Stowe ward was closed at the time of assessment. This onsite assessment of the CAMHS was undertaken on 27 November 2024. The off-site assessment concluded on 17 January 2024. The assessment was prompted in part by notification of an incident to the CQC and feedback received from external agencies, including concerns about the menagement of risk. This assessment examined those risks. The assessment examined 5 quality statements across 2 key questions; safe and well led. We found breaches of the regulations in relation to staffing. An action plan has been requested from the provider to address this.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with 6 young people at this service. Most of the young people told us they felt safe on the ward. Five out of 6 young people we spoke with told us there was not enough staff to meet their immediate needs all the time. Examples given by patients included that they were not always being able to use their leave at a time they wanted, having to wait for drinks or other requested items, waiting for supervision to use the toilet, and waiting to make supervised phone calls. Two young people we spoke with had observed that staff had not always checked on young people when they should have when on enhanced support, due to being busy with other tasks.