Birmingham hospital given six months to improve by the Care Quality Commission

A Birmingham hospital could face closure if it doesn’t make improvements after its latest inspection.

A Care and Quality Commission (CQC) report said that Montague Court, a mental health hospital, in Edgbaston was being places in special measures and will be inspected again within six months. The inspection took place on February 15 and 16, 2023 and the report was published today (June 1).

The hospital provides treatment and care for men detained until the Mental Health Act. It can house up to 18 patients at a time.

Which aspects at Montague Court need improvement?

The report added: “If insufficient improvements have been made such that here remains a rating of inadequate overall or for any key question or core service we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures to begin the process of preventing the provider from operating the service. This will lead to cancelling their registration or to varying the terms of their registration within six months if they do not improve.”

• During the inspection it was found that the “hospital did not provide an environment which was safe, clean, well equipped, well furnished, well maintained and fit for purpose.”
• The hospital had “significantly deteriorated”, inspectors found and there were “multiple blind spots” throughout the three floors.
• The hospital also fell short on cleanliness - which was found below what people should be able to expect. The facility was “visibly dirty with food debris on both furniture and the floor.”
• Inspectors saw “engrained dirt on the staircase and high- and low-level dust on skirting boards and cupboards. The patient kitchen had a damaged worktop which exposed porous areas and the patient fridge door was significantly soiled.”
• Inspectors also found ligature knives stored in locked rooms with no signage to indicate their presence.
• The hospital failed to ensure there were sufficient alarms to keep staff, visitors and patients safe.

The hospital, run by Options for Care, was given a warning notice as it was found that the service “had failed to ensure the quality of the care and service provided was regularly monitored, assessed and mitigated to protect patients from the risks of avoidable abuse and harm.”

The CQC also provided an action plan to the hospital to make improvements within six months. Options for Care has been contacted for their comment.