Alder Hey’s community mental health, ASD & ADHD services, have been rated as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection in March. These services were previously rated as good.
The CQC inspected our community mental health services, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and ASD (autism spectrum disorder) services for children and young people up to the age of 18 across Liverpool and Sefton.
CQC has also upgraded the rating for how well-led the service is from good to outstanding, caring was re-rated as outstanding, and the ratings for being safe, effective and responsive have been re-rated as good.
The overall rating for the trust remains unchanged and is rated as good.
“We are delighted with the rating received, which recognises the quality of care we provide to children and young people. The result is a reflection of the dedication and hard work of our teams, to ensure children and young people receive the safe, effective and responsive care they deserve.”
Lisa Cooper, Director of Community and Mental Health Services at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
John Grinnell, Chief Executive of Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“I’m incredibly proud that our community mental health, ASD & ADHD services for children and young people have been rated outstanding by the CQC. This is a reflection of the compassion, professionalism, and relentless commitment of our teams across Liverpool and Sefton. I’m especially pleased that the CQC also rated our leadership as outstanding, reaffirming the trust we place in our teams every day.”
Inspectors found:
- Leaders and managers knew the service well and were aware of any risks and challenges, as well as any actions needed to keep people safe.
- Staff treated children and young people as individuals and cared about their wellbeing.
- Staff followed systems and processes to safely prescribe medicines to people.
- The ADHD and ASD services worked well with local schools to help deliver joined up and coordinated care, including holding clinics in schools. The ADHD team had received an award for their partnership working with a local school, and the positive impact it had on people.
Karen Knapton, CQC deputy director of operations in the north west, said:
“When we inspected specialist community mental health services for children and young people at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, we found strong leaders, as well as kind and compassionate staff, who delivered high-quality care.
“Our experience tells us that when a service has strong leadership and staff committed to providing excellent care, it’s likely to meet people’s needs, which is what we found here.
“Staff focused on what mattered to the people they were caring for, and as a result, they felt valued and listened to. For example, people were consulted on changes to the service, including helping to re-design reception areas and choose furniture and décor, including producing artwork that was displayed on walls.
“Leaders and staff at the service should be proud of the many positive findings of this report, which reflect their dedication to providing a safe and caring service.”
The report can be found on the CQC’s website.