CQC report finds North East mental health service 'requires improvement'
A North East-wide mental health service has been told it requires improvement by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
A full report has been released this month for child and adolescent mental health wards at the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.
It follows an inspection which took place over the summer of 2025.
Published on Thursday, January 15, the report is seperate to the general report of the overall trust which was awarded an outstanding rating in 2023.
The newest inspection report all five wards within the child and adolescent mental health aspect of the trust.
The report reads: “We rated the service as requires improvement. We found 5 breaches of regulation in relation to safe care and treatment, safeguarding service users from abuse and improper treatment, person-centred care, staffing and good governance.
“Staff did not always assess risks to people's health and safety or mitigate them where identified. Environmental safety was not always managed effectively or consistently.
“For example, comprehensive ligature risk assessments had not been carried out. The use of prone (face down) restraint and mechanical restraint was high and mechanical restraint was not carried out in line with national guidance.”
The report adds: “Staff had not received all the relevant training to enable them to support the young people they were caring for appropriately. For example, autism training compliance was low. Young people were not always involved in their care and treatment; particularly on Lotus ward where young people were excluded from multi-disciplinary meetings, which were meetings about their care and treatment.
“Governance systems and audits were not always effective in identifying or addressing areas for improvement.
“However, there were sufficient staff to meet the needs of young people in the service.
“Staff were caring and respectful towards young people and knew them well. Staff provided a range of activities for the young people which included education which was tailored to young people’s needs.”
The CQC added they have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found during the inspection.