'Significant Improvements' in Mental Health Care

but trust faces 'real challenges' according to new report

Ealing's Mental Health NHS Trust has made 'significant improvements' according to a new report commissioned following concerns last year.

West London Mental Health NHS Trust (WLMHT) - which covers Ealing - was criticised in July 2009 over its strategies for dealing with suicides and other serious incidents.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found the trust often delayed investigations into incidents and failed to learn from 'common themes'.

They have just published their findings.

Colin Hough, CQC regional director, said: "WLMHT faces real challenges in caring for some of the most seriously unwell patients in the country.

"That is why it is so important that its risk management processes are robust and can protect these most vulnerable of service users.

"There is no question that the trust has made significant progress, particularly in the way it reports and investigates serious incidents and manages medicines and pharmacy support.

"We will continue to monitor the trust through our tough new registration system which required the NHS to meet essential standards of quality and safety."

A WLMHT statement said a new senior management team had been appointed including a new chief executive, director of nursing and direction of nursing and patient experience since the report last July.

A trust spokesman said: "We are pleased that the CQC has recognised the considerable progress we have made in meeting the recommendations of their investigation in 2009.

"We would like to thank our staff and partners for their considerable and hard work in the past twelve months, which has led to the improvements.

"At WLMHT we are now looking to the future and developing our forward plans.''

11 July 2010