Enter and view: Chester-Le-Street Community Mental Health Unit

Healthwatch County Durham carried out an enter and view visit to Chester le Street Community Mental Health Unit on 6 November 2024 to understand service users’ and staff members’ experiences of community mental health services. The service supports around 1,000 registered service users and employs 30 staff. Healthwatch gathered feedback from 13 service users and six staff members through surveys, interviews and follow-up telephone conversations, with 19 people sharing their experiences overall. 

Service users were generally positive about staff, describing them as caring, professional and supportive. However, significant concerns were raised about access to services, including cancelled appointments, long delays in receiving support, confusion about referrals and transitions from other services, and difficulties accessing the right professional at the right time. Many service users reported not having seen a care plan, while others felt support that had been promised had not materialised. Concerns were also raised about navigating complaints processes and the lack of flexibility in service opening hours. 

Staff described delivering person-centred care and highlighted the importance of understanding service users’ histories when planning support. However, they reported challenges including high caseloads, staffing pressures, room shortages, limitations with IT systems and difficulties managing some complex situations. Staff also identified opportunities to improve the environment through better waiting room facilities, more welcoming spaces and enhanced access to community activities and support programmes. 

Healthwatch concluded that while service users valued the professionalism and compassion of staff, there were recurring concerns about communication, continuity of care, unmet expectations and access to support. Recommendations included improving care planning, ensuring service users receive agreed support in a timely manner, strengthening complaints processes, improving access to appropriate clinicians, increasing awareness of community support services, addressing parking and signage issues, and enhancing the waiting environment.