"Nelson Ward"

Thank you for your feedback in response to the experience you had when you were admitted to Nelson Ward at Lambeth Hospital. I am sorry that you were unhappy with the environment and that you felt that the facilities were inadequate. Your comments were forwarded to the Ward Manager and this response is based upon their report.

I am sorry that you found that the toilets were in a poor state and that you felt the facilities were not adequate for the number of patients on the ward. I can confirm that there is a total of 6 toilets available for patients which meets requirements. The toilets and bathroom areas are cleaned during the day by the ward domestic staff and regular inspections are undertaken by the Aramark Supervisor who are responsible for domestic services at Lambeth Hospital. The shower rooms are designed as a wet room and the layout of the rooms conform to standards for hygiene and safety. On a daily basis a nurse will be allocated to inspect the ward environment and report any issues or faults to the Ward Administrator to report to the Facilities department. The Ward Manager is made aware of faults and outstanding repairs that have been reported to the Facilities department and these are then assessed and prioritised by the hospital based engineering team. All reports of toilets or bathrooms which are not fit for purpose are given the highest priority. Nelson Ward also has a Housekeeper working on a part time basis and they are responsible for ensuring that the ward is tidy and that all outstanding repairs or work requests are completed. Your comments in regard to the standard of cleanliness will be shared with the Aramark supervisor.

Nelson Ward has a weekly community meeting and the Ward Manager provides a confidential complaint ‘surgery’ on a weekly basis where patients are encouraged to raise concerns which can then be addressed immediately.

A therapeutic programme is provided on Nelson ward and activities are facilitated by the Nelson Occupational Therapist and additional therapists who provide a number of sessions. Patients also have access to the hospital gym during the week and these sessions are supervised by a qualified exercise instructor. The ward has access to the internet for patients and the Ward Manager will be asked to ensure that all staff are aware that this is available for patients in the resource room. Equipment, board games and books are available on the ward although it is acknowledged that items which have been left in the communal areas may be removed by patients. Nursing staff can provide access to the resource room where further supplies are stored.

Nelson Ward also receives regular input from the Psychologist and there are plans to review the talking therapy sessions offered on the ward. At this time Nelson Ward have commenced the process for accreditation under the Royal College of Psychiatry AIMS programme. This is a national programme which seeks to ensure that standards for all inpatient acute wards are provided to a high standard. The accreditation is dependent upon external scrutiny and peer review with colleagues working in mental health services outside the Trust.

Nelson Ward are committed to providing an excellent service for patients. The relocation of ES3 to Nelson Ward in January 2010 involved careful planning and consideration and the clinical staff participated fully in this process. It is acknowledged that communal spaces are limited and this was identified at the time of refurbishment where emphasis was placed on the comfort and space for patient bedroom areas. A visitor room is available on Nelson Ward, and where appropriate, patients are able to use a dedicated children visiting room in Oak House and that nursing staff will be available to facilitate the use of this facility in accordance with the Trust Policy for children and young people visiting inpatient areas.

Your feedback will be communicated to the staff team on Nelson Ward through the weekly business meeting.