Enter and view: Abraham Cowley Unit, St Peter's Hospital

aHealthwatch Surrey undertook an enter and view visit to the Abraham Cowley Unit at St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey, on 5 June and 24 July 2018. The visits were carried out following concerns raised about the service and involved conversations with 13 patients, three staff members and one visitor, alongside observations across three acute mental health wards. 

The report found both positive and negative experiences. Some patients praised staff for being supportive, caring and helpful in their recovery, particularly on Blake Ward, where activities and staff engagement were viewed positively. However, patients on other wards reported inconsistent staffing, poor visibility of staff, delays in seeing doctors, difficulties accessing one-to-one support, and a lack of continuity due to reliance on temporary staff. Concerns were also raised about cancelled activities and limited opportunities for meaningful engagement. 

Patient wellbeing emerged as a significant theme. Participants reported problems with excessive heat during the summer months, hygiene issues, difficulties sleeping, restrictions associated with the smoke-free policy, and dissatisfaction with some aspects of food provision. Healthwatch also identified safety concerns, including confusion about ward access procedures, delays in answering entry buzzers, patients being locked out due to delays in receiving key cards, and reports of incidents that had affected patients’ sense of safety. 

The report concluded that improvements were needed in safety procedures, staffing visibility, patient activities, wellbeing and discharge planning. Patients and families reported confusion about discharge arrangements and difficulties obtaining information and support. Healthwatch Surrey recommended reviewing ward entry and exit procedures, improving staff identification, involving patients more closely in planning activities and ward decisions, and strengthening communication and support around discharge processes.