Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHFT ) has been issued with a warning notice after the CQC found a ‘mixed picture' at its services during an inspection in June and August.

Forensic and secure wards

Following the inspection, which was prompted in part due to concerns from whistleblowers about safety at its Reaside Clinic medium secure clinic, the trust's forensic inpatient and secure wards rating remained requires improvement overall but caring was downgraded from good to requires improvement.

The service was issued with a warning notice after inspectors found ‘damaged furniture, dirty toilets with urine on the floor, mould around showers and sinks and graffiti which hadn't been removed'.

Community-based mental health services

By contrast, the trust's community-based mental health services for adults of working age services, which were previously rated requires improvement were upgraded to good overall for improvements after the service was issued with two warning notices.

The CQC noted staff were now making sure people were receiving their medicines safely and quickly, adding: ‘People told us that staff discussed their medicines with them, and they knew why and what medicines they were taking, as well as any potential side effects.

‘Additionally, leaders encouraged people using the service and staff to raise concerns so any necessary changes could be made to keep people from safe. It was also good to hear that people knew they would be treated with compassion and understanding when they did speak up.'

Mixed picture

Amanda Lyndon, CQC deputy director of operations in the Midlands, said ‘we found a mixed picture when we inspected the care being provided by these services', adding: ‘We'll continue to monitor the trust, including through future inspections, to ensure it builds on the improvements it has already made, and to ensure further necessary changes are made and embedded.'

A spokesperson for BSMHFT said: ‘We are pleased that the CQC recognised the improvements we have made in our Community Mental Health Services, rating them good. We acknowledge and accept the CQC's rating our Reaside facility as requires Improvement and have already made significant progress in addressing the concerns within the report. We still have work to do and are always committed to providing the best possible care for all our service users.'