THE number of violent incidents at a mental health hospital in Winchfield is “disturbing”, a watchdog has said.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has formally warned Vista Independent Hospital, in Old Potbridge Road, to make urgent improvements to protect patients from abuse, following an inspection in November last year.

It found the hospital recorded 334 incidents of physical abuse or violence in seven months, including 272 incidents where staff were reported to have been assaulted, sometimes needing hospital treatment.

The watchdog previously found “serious failings” after an inspection in 2012 at the hospital, which can take up to 69 patients with mental health needs or learning disabilities and is run by Fairhome Care Group (WL) Limited.

Karen Wilson, CQC head of inspection, said: “We have told Fairhome Care Group (WL) Limited that they must take action to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people in their care.

“Some patients told us that they were well cared for – but too many felt angry and frustrated by how they were treated. They told us that staff did not listen to them and did not treat them with respect.”

She added: “The number of violent incidents is disturbing – yet we found little evidence that the provider had the specialist skills or systems to learn from these incidents and prevent them happening in the first place.”

The CQC said the hospital had agreed not to admit any further patients while a specialist team is brought in to oversee improvements.

Inspectors carried out an unannounced three-day inspection in November, having received information “of concern” from the local authority and a whistleblower.

They found the hospital was in breach of 12 national regulations. Breaches included:  

  • Not telling the CQC of all violent incidents that involved calling the police to the hospital
  • The use of “unsafe restraint practices”, including putting a patient’s arms bent up their back
  • A poor recruitment service, with appropriate checks not carried out on new staff
  • Understaffed wards, and inadequate training, support and supervision for staff,
  • Some staff not knowing where ligature cutters were available on their ward

Inspectors will return unannounced to check on progress, the CQC said.

In a statement, Fairhome Care Group (WL) Limited said the report was an “uncompromising catalogue” of problems faced by a newly-appointed clinical and management team at the hospital.

It added: “The formal warnings reinforce the importance and urgency that the new Vista management, and the specialist team they brought in, have been and are bringing to making and sustaining the improvements for patients.”

It added that “considerable strides” had been made to meet CQC targets, after working with NHS England.