CONCERNS have been raised over a staff shortage at a women’s mental health hospital in Winwick.

The Care Quality Commission has highlighted the shortage in staff numbers at Arbury Court on Townfield Lane following an inspection in August.

Overall, the hospital received a grading of good from the healthcare regulator but was ordered to improve its safety.

Arbury Court, which has 82 beds in total, had a high number of vacancies for nurses with inspectors told that maintaing adequate staffing levels ‘could be challenging’.

Nearly a third of nursing posts were vacant, although the CQC noted that jobs had been offered to a number of prospective new staff to fill many of these.

Inspectors also found that patients had missed doses of medication due to a lack of stock.

The CQC’s report said: “Patients told us that their relationships with staff were supportive, friendly and relaxed.

“Many patients told us that they found the activities beneficial, were involved in their care and felt safe in the hospital.

“Carers said that the service had responded when they had raised concerns or complaints.

“However some patients said that the wards were busy, that there were not always enough staff and that this meant they did not always feel safe.

“Some patients found the activities boring and some were unhappy about restricted access to bedroom during the day.

“Some patients told us that the quality and choice of food was limited and some said that they were not always involved in their care.”

Arbury Court, which is run by Elysium Healthcare Limited and has five wards plus a psychiatric intensive care unit, was rated as outstanding overall following the CQC’s previous inspection in December 2015.

And the hospital’s leadership remains outstanding according to inspectors.

The CQC’s report added: “The leadership, governance and culture were used to drive and improve the delivery of person-centred care.

“Patients were an integral part of the development and governance of the hospital - there was an active patients’ council and patients attended governance and development meetings.

“Managers were responsive and innovative to challenges within the service.”