Enter and View: Merrick House

Healthwatch County Durham undertook an announced enter and view visit to Merrick House on 20 February 2024 which provides Community Mental Health Services.  They wanted to understand in more detail the issues people were facing whilst under the care of Merrick House after hearing negative feedback.  They spoke to 23 people.

The service users Healthwatch spoke to were generally happy with the support they were offered from Merrick House. They acknowledged that things haven’t been good in the past but they have seen an improvement in the last few months. Although some felt medication was prioritised over other interventions, those that had a formulation found this hugely beneficial. 

Although the comments from staff pointed out how much they are struggling as an organisation, they are trying to avoid this affecting service users. Staff feel their hands are tied as to what they are able to offer and all community mental health services should have the same standard offer of care; this is not possible currently at Merrick House due to not having the staff they require trained in that particular intervention. 

The findings from this enter and view contradict what Healthwatch were currently hearing about Merrick House. Healthwatch County Durham has continued to hear negative experiences from service users and service providers since the Enter and View was carried out. These experiences were similar to the views that led to the Enter and View being arranged.

The report contains 11 recommendations.