Nottingham mental health hospital run by the Priory Group is rated ‘outstanding’ by CQC

• Staff treat patients with ‘kindness and compassion’
• Patients said staff went the extra mile to support their care and treatment
• Two of the patients and two family members said ‘this was the best hospital they had ever received care in’
• The report said patients’ emotional and social needs were seen as being equally as important as their physical needs

A mental health hospital, the Priory Hospital in Nottingham, has been ranked as ‘outstanding’, putting it among the seven per cent best such services in the country.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the social and healthcare regulator, said the hospital was ‘outstanding’ overall, and outstanding for being ‘effective’ and ‘caring’. It was rated ‘good’ for being safe, responsive and well-led.

The ‘outstanding’ ranking comes 3 years after the hospital was last rated by the CQC; at that time it was ‘good’ across the board.

Inspectors said: “Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity and understood the individual needs of patients. The service provided safe care, wards were safe and clean.”

They described the relationships between people who used the service and those close to them, and staff, as “strong, caring, respectful and supportive”. “Family members and patients reported excellent communication between the hospital and family members and have examples of several occasions where staff had gone above and beyond to update family members and keep them updated,” the CQC report said.

“Two of the patients and two family members we spoke with said this was the best hospital they had ever received care in. They said staff provided a wide range of activities on the ward that were suitable to their recovery goals and that activities were never cancelled. Patients told us staff worked hard to involve their families and carers in decisions about their care and always obtained their consent to do so.”

The design and layout of the hospital also supported patients’ needs. Every patient had their own bedroom with an en-suite bathroom. The food was described as being of a “good quality”.

Care plans were reviewed regularly and personalised to reflect the needs of the patient.

Inspectors said the hospital’s leaders “had the skills, knowledge and experience to perform their roles” and had a good understanding of the services they managed and were visible and approachable for patients and staff. Staff felt respected, supported and valued and felt able to raise concerns without fear of retribution.”

The Priory Hospital in Nottingham, in Ransom Road, treats adult patients who require urgent treatment for acute mental health needs. The hospital is operated by the Priory Group, which specialises in mental healthcare and runs mental health hospitals and Wellbeing Centres across the UK.

Rachael Martin, Hospital Director, said: “I am absolutely delighted that our hospital has been rated ‘outstanding’. The inspectors’ comments reflect the tremendous work my team does for our patients. It is a real pleasure to lead a service which is so highly regarded by the CQC, our patients and their relatives.”

Paul Pritchard, Managing Director for the North region of Priory Healthcare, said: “My congratulations and thanks to all staff for the exceptional quality of care they deliver to patients every day, which is reflected in the CQC’s assessment.  Achieving the highest standard from the CQC is a tribute to all those including relatives and staff, who work together to do everything they can to make patients’ lives better. High quality mental health care is at the heart of everything we do”.

Notes to editors

For interviews or inquiries, please contact communications@priorygroup.com

About Priory Group

The Priory Group is the leading provider of behavioural care in the UK, caring for around 30,000 people a year for conditions including depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol addiction, eating disorders and self-harming. The Group is organised into three divisions – healthcare, education and children’s services, and adult care. The Priory Group is owned by NASDAQ-listed Acadia Healthcare, which is recognised as a global leader in behavioural health.