Brook Lodge, Lakeview Hospital - Regulation and Quality ...

3.0 Inspection Summary
An announced inspection of Brook Lodge was undertaken on 3 and 4 January
2012. The purpose of this inspection was to assess the ward‟s arrangements
and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults.
The ward‟s progress towards compliance with recommendations made during
the previous inspection was assessed and a number of recommendations
were restated as insufficient progress had been made. These areas for
quality improvement included:
the provision of advocacy services
staff training in restrictive interventions including physical restraint
staff training in the protection of vulnerable adults
staff training in handling complaints
development of the whistle blowing policy to include contact details of
external organisations and agencies.
patients‟ involvement in care planning, discharge planning and in the
multi-disciplinary meetings
the provision of complaints information in an appropriate format.
The following is a summary of the inspection findings of the arrangements for
safeguarding vulnerable adults on this ward.
Inspectors noted a significant number of incidents had occurred on the ward
involving patients assaulting each other and in some cases, sustaining injuries
such as breaks to skin and bruising. There was evidence of patients
experiencing repeated assaults from other individual patients and of a
patient‟s relatives raising concerns about patient safety on the ward.
Inspectors raised concerns that the Trust‟s protection of vulnerable adults
procedures were not being followed, adult protection concerns were not being
adequately reported or investigated and there was poor evidence of
documented protection arrangements.
In spite of assurances provided to RQIA from the Trust, following the previous
inspection (October 2010), a significant number of staff still had not received
training in the protection of vulnerable adults.
The staff induction records did not provide evidence that new staff had been
given guidance on the ward‟s procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults.
Inspectors were of the opinion that insufficient action was taken to promote
the safety and wellbeing of patients on the ward and noted that patients had
suffered harm during their inpatient stay. Details of specific concerns were
shared with senior Trust staff following the inspection.
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