A range of information sources considered by HIW have indicated concerns around mental health services within Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTMUHB). We undertook a local review which will aim to examine the quality of mental health services provided by CTMUHB.
Our review focussed on and assessed the quality and safety of discharge arrangements for adult patients (18-65) from inpatient mental health units within CTMUHB, back into the community.
The key question that the review sought to answer was:
Do the current arrangements for the discharge of patients from inpatient mental health services into the community support the delivery of safe, effective and timely care?
Throughout the review we explored:
- The quality of the discharge process, including communication between inpatient and community based services
- Adequacy of risk management processes relating to discharge
- How patients are supported at the point of discharge, and during the period post-discharge
- The health board arrangements for monitoring the quality and effectiveness of its discharge arrangements.
To gather evidence as part of our review, our fieldwork included:
- Interviews with a range of health board staff
- Conducting a health board self-assessment
- Case study reviews of patients discharged from mental health inpatient units within the health board
- Undertaking a health board staff survey for individuals involved in the patient discharge process, to ensure views and experiences are captured
- Collating the views and experiences of patients, including individuals selected as part of our case study, as well as relatives/carers via surveys
- Review and analysis of a range of corporate and operational information and data
- Engaging with other stakeholder organisations, where necessary, throughout our review.
The final report of the review is published below.