Ms C said that staff did not do enough to address issues of bullying and abuse from other patients and that this led to deterioration in her mental health.
What happened
In spring 2013 Ms C raised concerns with staff about how other patients on her ward had made inappropriate and offensive comments to her.
Staff at Partnerships in Care (PIC – which provides independent specialist services for people with mental illness and other conditions) acknowledged that bullying and abusive behaviour had become a problem on the ward. They discussed Ms C's concerns at a team meeting and spoke with the individuals involved. PIC also implemented a new programme called 'Living Together' to address issues of discontent between patients and improve the environment on the ward.
At the beginning of summer 2013 Ms C agreed to be separated from the other patients by spending her days on another ward but returning in the evening to sleep. She was later transferred to another hospital. However, her mental health subsequently deteriorated and she had to return to PIC.
Ms C complained that staff did not do enough to address her concerns about bullying and abusive behaviour on the ward. She said that this caused her mental health to deteriorate.
What we found
We partly upheld Ms C's complaint. PIC failed to do enough to address issues of bullying and abuse and to protect Ms C and the other patients.
We could understand how Ms C would have felt distressed by the bullying and abusive behaviour on her ward. However, she was clinically stable enough to manage at another hospital in the months after she experienced the bullying and abusive behaviour. She remained on the low secure unit at the other hospital until early 2014 when her condition deteriorated and she was transferred back to PIC. Taking into account that Ms C's condition was stable enough for her to be transferred to a low secure unit in summer 2013 and the length of time between her transfer and her subsequent deterioration, we could not say that her experience at PIC led to a deterioration in her mental health.
Putting it right
We were reassured that PIC had apologised and improved its service in light of Ms C's concerns and we did not recommend any further action be taken.
Partnerships in Care Limited
UK