Action after Birmingham patients swallow batteries and screws

The facility, in Marston Green, provides inpatient assessments and treatments

Hospital regulators have taken action against an NHS trust where patients swallowed batteries and screws.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) upheld an inadequate rating for Brooklands Hospital, Birmingham, which cares for autistic patients and those with learning difficulties.

During an inspection, the service was found to "not provide safe care".

Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust said it was working "at pace" to make improvements.

Officers inspected four forensic inpatient wards unannounced in March following concerns about the "quality of service", the CQC said.

Its report revealed staff checks were not always thorough, with patients self-harming by swallowing screws and batteries.

Meeting minutes from the Janet Shaw Clinic, a medium-secure unit for men, revealed eight such incidents within 12 months.

'Burnt out'

During a tour of the ward, CQC inspectors also witnessed a screw and plastic plug left in the wall from a TV cabinet that had been replaced.

Staff working at the facilities were found to be failing to carry out observations of patients in accordance with policy guidelines and told officers they were feeling burnt out.

Sonia Brooks, CQC deputy director of operations in the Midlands, said: "One nurse told us senior managers didn't acknowledge or care how being short-staffed impacted on their mental health and wellbeing.

"We told the trust this must be addressed as a priority."

The hospital also failed to ensure patients felt safe, with some patients feeling "uncomfortable and paranoid" when bank and agency workers were on duty, inspectors found.

Patients told officers they were kept in hospital longer than necessary due to discharge delays and unable to "shape their own meaningful activities, independence, and quality of life".

Brooklands' forensic inpatient services were rated inadequate by the CQC last year, with the regulator issuing six requirement notices for breaches of regulation in May 2022

The hospital's forensic inpatient services were rated inadequate last year, with six CQC requirement notices for breaches of regulation issued in May 2022.

After a return visit in March, the watchdog served the trust with a warning notice to make "significant improvements" and said it was "concerning" it had not acted upon previous recommendations.

By a follow-up in July, although "many" issues had been addressed, officers issued a further requirement notice to make improvements.

Ms Brooks said the CQC would continue to monitor the service closely and return to carry out another inspection.

Mel Coombes, chief executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, said "significant work" had gone on to address the issues highlighted in March.

"We'd like to reassure patients and their families that we're working at pace to improve the quality of our forensic inpatient services for people with a learning disability or autism," he said.

He added he was pleased to note the progress highlighted by the CQC in July, and the trust would continue to make improvements.