Enter and view: Suffolk House

Healthwatch Enfield gather information on people’s experiences of health and social care services and there are times when it is appropriate for Healthwatch Enfield to see and hear for themselves how services are being delivered: these visits are called ‘Enter and View’, they are not inspections.

Healthwatch Enfield visited Suffolk House on 06/10/2015.

The summary of findings highlighted areas in relation to patient feedback, staff feedback and observation. Suffolk House appears to be an excellent facility, providing support to individuals who have experienced a mental health crisis towards making a successful transition to independent living. It is well-led and managed and has embedded a team approach focused on meeting the unique individual needs of service users. Healthwatch Enfield believe that the ethos fostered by Rethink Mental Illness who provide this service, and the support which Rethink provide to staff and managers, is key to the quality of service we saw on the day of our visit. The house demonstrates a range of good practice, offering support which is clearly valued by service users. Healthwatch Enfield observed an excellent rapport between the staff and the service users that they met, and an openness that they found refreshing.

Healthwatch Enfield made a number of recommendations for the management of Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, including some specifically for the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team.