Wolverhampton hospital supporting men hospitalised with mental health struggles rated 'Good' following first inspection
A Wolverhampton hospital working to support men hospitalised with mental health struggles has been praised for its compassionate care after receiving a Good inspection rating.
Cygnet Hospital Wolverhampton has been rated Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following its first ever inspection, with the regulator highlighting the “compassionate care” delivered by staff.
The 29-bed hospital, on Wolverhampton Road, opened in August 2024 to support men hospitalised with mental health struggles and in its first ever inspection by the CQC in September, it was rated Good across all five key domains of Caring, Responsive, Safe, Well-Led and Effective.
The CQC report highlighted a consistently positive experience for patients, noting the supportive culture within the hospital.
As part of the inspection, the CQC spoke with individuals supported at the hospital, and their relatives, while feedback from patients and carers was overwhelmingly positive, with one patient telling inspectors that staff “could not do enough for them,” and others saying the hospital was better than previous services they had experienced.
The report read: “Overall people’s experience was positive. They felt staff had helped and supported them. People said staff were kind, helpful and made them feel safe.
“Nearly all the carers we spoke to told us the hospital was better than others and patients seemed much happier here.
“All staff we spoke to were passionate and committed to supporting patients to receive quality care.
“Staff said they worked well together and were proud of the way they had developed the service and gave good, compassionate care to patients.”
Inspectors found that individuals were supported to meet their spiritual needs and were helped to access the local community as part of their recovery.
They praised the hospital environment, reporting that “all ward areas were clean, had good furnishings and were well-maintained.”
They also found strong practice in medicines management, with staff following national guidance to safely store, prescribe, dispense, administer and record medicines.
The quality of care and treatment was another area of strength, with inspectors noting that people’s outcomes were consistently good.
The report read: “Staff developed care plans that were comprehensive, person-centred and holistic.”
The regulator highlighted patient involvement as an area of strength for the Cygnet Health Care Service.
The report read: “Patients were involved in care planning through ward rounds.
"Patients told us that staff listened to them and explained their care and offered choices especially in relation to medication. Family told us that their relative was included in meetings and understood their plan of care.”
The CQC highlighted the hospital’s occupational therapy programme as a key area of strength, with individuals offered the chance to take part in a wide range of activities which supported their personal recovery goals.
These included activities focusing on daily living skills, healthy lifestyles and social skills.
The report also noted that staff actively supported patients to live healthier lives and promoted healthy eating.
Praising the quality of staffing at the hospital, inspectors noted: “Staff were experienced and qualified and had the right skills and knowledge to meet the needs of the patient group.
"Managers recruited new staff who were caring and compassionate. Managers identified the learning needs of staff and provided them with opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge.”
The inspection also recognised the hospital’s focus on physical health and wellbeing. Patients had access to healthy snacks and drinks, a range of wellbeing activities, and on-site gyms on both wards.
"Patients told inspectors they regularly used the gym and felt “fitter and stronger since being there.”
Hospital Manager Lottie Martin welcomed the outcome of the inspection.
She said: “We are incredibly proud to have been rated Good across all areas in our first CQC inspection.
“Since opening, we have made it our mission to deliver first-class care to the men in need of our support so that we can make a positive difference to their lives and enable them to return to the least restrictive setting for them.
“I am often in awe of the dedication, professionalism and compassion shown by my staff each day and it is extremely rewarding to see this recognised by the CQC and echoed so strongly by patient and family feedback.”
