Enter and view: Priory Burston House secure inpatient unit

Healthwatch Norfolk undertook an enter and view visit to Burston House on 20 February 2023.  This was part of a project that was specifically focused on residential and in-patient care for people with learning disabilities and autistic people in Norfolk. Healthwatch implemented this project in response to the tragic events at Cawston Park, in which three residents with learning disabilities died between 2018 and 2020. One of the key findings from the Safeguarding Adults Review was that residents and their families were not being listened to.  They spoke to 5 staff, 5 patients and 3 family members.

During this Enter and View visit Healthwatch focused on what patients thought about their care, and the degree to which they were being listened to by the staff. 

Voice choice and personalisation: Patients are represented in decisions made by the hospital through elected ward representatives. People said that they knew how to complain and had used the complaints process in the past. Relatives said that the service listened to them well, but one person would have liked some more help in participating in meetings.

Premises: Burston House is a large, older building with modern additions. It is separated into three wards, which are clean and well-organised, and have useful information displays. Patients are able to personalise their rooms. There is a large and well-equipped training block, and outdoor spaces with exercise equipment. Two people found the communal areas in wards too noisy. 

Activities: The therapy building allows the service to offer a range of therapeutic activities, and people also take part in activities in the community. People also choose to spend time in their rooms playing video games and watching television.

Relationships and community: Relationships between staff and patients appeared to be good but some patients prefer to keep to themselves rather than socialising with either staff or other patients. Patients gradually spend more time in the community as their treatment progresses, and also participate in local community events. 

Food and health: Patients are able to vote on menu options, and those Healthwatch spoke to said that they liked the food they were given. One relative said that they had experienced some problems getting their family member’s dietary requirements catered for consistently. There is an emphasis on weight loss and exercise at the service, and all patients were up-to-date with their annual health checks. 

Relations with the broader health and social care system: The manager said that the service has good relations with the local GP surgery, and with the Norfolk and Norwich hospital. There were, however, some blockages in getting people back into the community, due to delays in the approval of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, and some reluctance from community services and some local authorities to take on people with a forensic history. 

Overall, the feedback Healthwatch received from patients and relatives was positive, and the service seemed to listen and respond well to people.