A MENTAL health charity is calling for a public inquiry into inpatient mental health service failings following the CQC’s damning inspection of Hill Crest ward in Redditch.

In a shocking report, published earlier this week by the CQC, it was revealed that areas of the ward were dirty, electrical wires were exposed, people’s bedrooms had no wardrobes and ‘sexual safety incidents’ had occurred.

The Care Quality Commission visited the mixed gender mental health unit last July after concerns regarding people’s safety and following the inspection rated Hill Crest as inadequate.

READ MORE: Redditch mental health ward slammed as inadequate by CQC

Last year, a patient attempted to throw boiling water and sugar at a member of staff and a fire also broke out in a bathroom.

Since the inspection, a source, who wished to remain anonymous told the Advertiser that a cleaner was punched in the face by a patient.

In the health watchdog’s report, it states there is a bedroom corridor for males and one for females on the ward with an extra four rooms in another corridor which could be used for either gender depending on the mix of patients.

“We were told that this area would be either exclusively male or female depending on requirements,” stated the report.

“We found examples in the incident reporting system, Ulysses, where males had entered the female bedroom corridors and bedrooms in the last six months prior to our inspection.

“Staff told us that the door between male and female areas was kept open with a towel over the handle to prevent it closing.

“This was also seen at a Mental Health Act visit the week before our inspection.

“This meant male service users could access female service user areas, including bedrooms and bathrooms.”

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It also states that sexual safety incidents had occurred and ‘patients were not appropriately observed to prevent male to female sexual exposure, sexual touch or sexual relationships’.

CQC inspectors were told by some patients that male patients regularly entered a female-only lounge without being challenged by staff.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care Trust say ‘immediately following the inspection’ they addressed ‘the urgent issues which were identified during the visit’.

Sarah Dugan, chief executive of the trust said they ‘recognise the standards of care and professionalism at Hill Crest at the time of the inspection last July were not good enough’.

The ward is temporarily closed to new admission and the number of beds has been reduced from 18 to 10 to improve the quality of care.

Mental health charity, Mind, is calling for a full public statutory inquiry into failings in inpatient mental health services.

Vicki Nash, head of policy, campaigns and public affairs at Mind, said it is ‘abhorrent’ that sexual incidents occur on a mental health ward.

“Mental health hospitals are a place where people have the right to feel safe and should never be put at risk of any harm, including traumatising sexual assault,” said Ms Nash.

“Mixed-sex NHS accommodation has been expected to be eliminated, except where it is in the best interests of the patient, for over a decade.

 “We urgently need to see investment in the inpatient mental health workforce and hospital estates so people can get safe, therapeutic, and culturally appropriate care in the right environment.

“Sadly, problems in our mental health hospitals are not isolated to one trust, the system is riddled with deep-set issues.

“That's why Mind is calling for a full public statutory inquiry into failings in inpatient mental health services – so the voices of people with lived experience and their loved ones are heard and essential systemic changes are delivered.”