Enter and View: Wessex Ward, Bridgwater

The inpatient unit provides assessment, care and treatment to young people with a range of mental health needs, where the level of risk, complexity and severity cannot be safely managed in a community setting.

This visit forms part of a wider project running from November 2015 to July 2016. Our Enter and View Representatives visited each of the nine wards in Somerset that provide treatment for people with acute mental health issues.

Recommendations

1. It is recommended that the issue of SWAN advocacy information not being ‘young person friendly’ is raised by the Trust with SWAN at a senior level advocacy. It is important that young people have information that is accessible to them.
2. It is recommended that young people are consulted on the design of PALS information posters and leaflets.
3. It is recommended that information leaflets about Healthwatch Somerset are made available.
4. It is recommended that the ward look at the activities list and good practice examples detailed in appendix 6.3 and 6.3.1 and share these with activities staff and at have your say meetings.
5. It is recommended that the Trust prioritise plans to recruit to the vacant Social Worker post for Wessex ward.
6. It is recommended that the Trust seeks advice on improving the nutritional content of menus.
7. It is recommended that the ward and Trust share any further information relating to the difficulties caused by young person’s inpatient wards being commissioned differently to adult services.
8. It is recommend that the Trust consult with an IT specialist to look at upgrading internet security to enable less restrictive, safe access to the internet and consider risk assessing the access to social media on an individual basis.
9. DBT is available on the ward for referred patients but may not be available after discharge as patients are returning to different local authority areas. It is recommended that the Trust consider how this can best be managed.
10. It is recommended that discussion about the best educational support options are started between the Trust and the Local Authority.

This report was produced by the previous Healthwatch Somerset service provider, The Care Forum.