The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published a report following a well-led inspection in July 2024. This included inspections of services provided by Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which were undertaken in 2023 and earlier in 2024.

As part of the service reviews, inspectors visited the Trust’s mental health wards and psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs) at Bowmere and Springview Hospitals, community mental health services for working age adults, mental health crisis services and health-based places of safety, community end of life care, and Willaston Surgery.

During one inspection, concerns regarding the sustainability of staffing levels across Bowmere Hospital were identified. The Trust undertook immediate action to ensure CWP continued to provide safe services, with the CQC assured improvements were made.

Following these inspections, the Trust has maintained its rating of ‘Good’ overall and ‘Outstanding’ for Caring.

Tim Welch, Chief Executive at Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP), said: “We welcome the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection reports and our rating as ‘Good’ overall and ‘Outstanding’ for caring. The reports demonstrate that when concerns are identified, we respond to them immediately and with vigour.

“We are proud of the good progress happening in the Trust and are particularly pleased the CQC observed how patients feel supported and listened to by our teams and that we demonstrate “safe, compassionate and open leadership at all levels of the Trust”. Our valued colleagues; their commitment to learning, innovation and the excellent care and compassion they provide are the heartbeat of everything we do at CWP.

“Whilst we are pleased to retain our rating, the report reinforces the work still to do in relation to strengthening governance and information management arrangements. There is always room to improve and through CWPi - our organisation-wide approach to continuous improvement - we will build upon our learning using quality management systems to underpin our decision making and direction. Together we will continue to improve the lives of everyone in our communities.”

The reports are available to view on the CQC website.

If you are a patient or carer of someone accessing CWP services and wish to speak to someone about a concern, please contact the CWP Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 0800 195 4462 (10am – 3pm) or via cwp.pals@nhs.net