INPATIENT and community children’s services in South Devon have been rated good following unannounced inspections by the Care Quality Commission.

Last November’s inspection of services run by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust were carried out in response to concerns raised about children and young people with mental health needs being cared for in an inappropriate setting.

The Care Quality Commission reports published today identify a number of areas of good practice while also recognising areas where action is being taken to improve.

Inpatient physical health services for children and young people in Torbay and South Devon are provided at Torbay Hospital.

Inspectors focused the visit on children and young people who were receiving treatment for eating disorders associated with a mental health condition.

Shelly Machin, Families and Community Care Group Director, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘Over recent years our paediatric inpatient ward has supported an increasing number of children and young people with eating disorders and mental health needs.

‘I am proud that the inspection found that our dedicated and compassionate colleagues are doing their best to provide high-quality care and that the service has been rated as good overall.

‘Working together with specialists from Devon Partnership NHS Trust, voluntary sector partners and supported by our Torbay and South Devon NHS Charity and our Torbay Hospital League of Friends, our colleagues have ensured that children and young people can access specialist equipment and activities, including sensory kits that have been developed with the involvement of people using the service.

'We are aware of the improvements that are needed and an action plan is in place to help us drive these forward – supporting colleagues with more training and doing what we can to improve the ward environment to maintain privacy, dignity and safety.’

Emma O’Connell, Acting Director, Children and Family Health Devon, said: ‘I am delighted that the hard work and commitment of our colleagues in Children and Family Health Devon has been recognised.

'To be rated as good overall is a fantastic achievement and is a testament to the way our teams work together with children, young people and their families to improve outcomes and experiences.

‘We are pleased the inspectors found our service to be person-centred and identified many areas of good practice.

'We are also proud that families told inspectors that they felt safe and listened to by our colleagues and teams.

'We recognise that we need to do more to provide training to our colleagues to support autistic children or children who have a learning disability and we are taking this forward.

‘We will continue to work together with our children, young people and families as well as our wider partners and stakeholders to prioritise prevention and early help and to deliver better outcomes and experiences for all.’

Inspectors also identified areas for improvement which being addressed through a comprehensive action plan.

Many of these have already been completed including a dedicated triage telephone service and the delivery of new equipment which was on order at the time of the inspection.

Joe Teape, Chief Executive, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘We know how vitally important it is that we help our children and young people start well in life, laying the foundations for good health and wellbeing and a positive future.

‘Every member of our children’s services is dedicated to providing the best possible care for our children, young people and their families.

‘We are pleased that the reports reflect many areas of good practice as well as highlighting those areas where we know we need to make further improvements.

'I am particularly proud that the CQC recognised that our teams commitment to continually learning and improving services.’

The overall CQC rating for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust remains as requires improvement.

The inspection of inpatient children and young people services was carried out in response to concerns about children and young people with mental health needs being cared for in an inappropriate setting as part of CQC’s usual checks on the safety and quality of services.

Catherine Campbell, CQC deputy director of operations in the south, said: ‘Across both children and young people’s services run by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, we found staff worked well together as a team and with other agencies, including the local mental health trust, to provide joined-up care which benefitted everyone.

‘Families who were supported by the community children and young people’s service told us staff had helped them to better understand their young person’s needs. The service was inclusive, person-centred, and staff were knowledgeable about everyone they supported.

'We found some improvements were needed at the inpatient children and young people’s services at Torbay Hospital.

‘There were two breaches of the legal regulations relating to how the service provided safe care and treatment, and safe staffing.

‘We have told the trust to submit an action plan so we know exactly how they are going to address the issues.

'The inspection was prompted by concerns that children and young people with mental health needs were being cared for in an unsuitable setting.

‘We found this issue wasn’t wholly in the trust’s control as the local area lacked suitable placements in local mental health hospital settings or the community.

'However, some staff told us they needed more training from leaders to support these children and young people, and care plans to guide staff in these situations lacked detail.

'Staff were doing their best to provide high-quality care, but they were hindered by shortages and an increased workload.

‘Agency and bank staff who covered nursing staff gaps didn’t always have the right qualifications and experience, which put children and young people at risk of harm.

‘Leaders had mitigated this by reducing admissions to the service when staffing levels were stretched, but staff said workloads were still overwhelming.

'The trust is aware of where improvements are needed and has already started to address the concerns we found at our inspection.

‘We will continue to monitor the progress of those improvements to keep people and their families safe.’