The Quality Network for Forensic Mental Health Services (QNFMHS) is a quality improvement network for low and medium secure inpatient forensic mental health services in the UK. It is a national project developed to ensure best practice is being achieved in low and medium secure services. Amongst other things the peer review team assess standards of care, current facilities, standards of documentation and health records, environmental facilities, and staff training qualifications, support and supervision.
In 2019 they achieved a 90% compliance rating and were revisited in March this year to see how the service is progressing. All recommendations from their short term action plan have been met and a number of areas of good practise were noted.
“I’m especially proud of the results the two Low Secure Wards have achieved when I consider the impact of Covid-19 on both staff and service users during 2020 into 2021.
Both wards have worked incredibly hard during the last 12 months and have demonstrated that standards of excellent care have been maintained. Well done to Shelley and Bronte!”
Martin Graham, Hospital Manager
Areas of good practise:
• Carers reported overwhelmingly positive feedback about their experience of the service, particularly the staff. Carers feel that staff are easy to get hold of and are communicative of their own needs as well as their loved ones. Carers receive welcome packs when their loved one enters the service and this contains useful information about the service and how they can get involved. Carers feel fully involved in decisions about their loved ones care and treatment, as well as their leave planning and feel that staff have done an excellent job
• There is a strong focus on supporting staff health and wellbeing at the service. Wobble rooms were introduced for staff during the pandemic as a comfortable and relaxing space for staff to take their breaks off the ward. There has also been some work on inclusivity to ensure patients and staff are aware of each other’s cultures and creating a holistic way of working, which was praised by staff.
• The service has a good strategy in place for reducing restrictive practices. There is a quarterly blanket rule audit to ensure the service are regularly reviewing restrictive practices and these are filtered down into monthly meetings with staff. Patients are also involved in discussions around restrictive practices to capture their viewpoints, particularly regarding the introduction of mobile phones. Staff individually risk assess patients and don’t put any restrictions in place for longer than is necessary for patients.
• Patients provided positive feedback about the service and feel that the environment is safe and welcoming. Patients feel treated with compassion, dignity and respect and feel that staff are very kind and caring. In addition, one patient on Bronte ward stated “I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for the staff”.
Well done to all of the teams on Bronte and Shelley.