A mental health unit which is run by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) has been awarded an accreditation by the Royal College of Psychiatrists for quality improvement.
Grangewaters Ward at the Basildon Hospital Mental Health Unit was awarded the Accreditation for continuous commitment to improving quality for its Inpatient Mental Health Services for Working Age Adults (AIMSWA).
The accreditation followed a review of Grangewaters Ward by inspectors from the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The 28 bedded-ward provides care and treatment for adults with acute mental illness. The accreditation is for a year and the ward will be reviewed again in summer 2018.
Chloe Cawston, Ward Manager said: “All the staff on Grangewaters Ward always go above and beyond their role. We are such a close team, we are like a family. As a team we are all highly motivated and driven to provide the highest standards of care and always strive for outstanding practice. We all understand that the patients we look after are there for all individual reasons and our main aim is for them to have a positive experience from the point of admission to the time they go home.
We worked so hard to improve the standard and reputation of Grangewaters Ward. I can personally say that the accreditation for Grangewaters was not only overwhelming but emotional. When we received the feedback I burst into tears with such pride as it was one of my proudest moments as a Ward Manager. I could not believe that the reviewers described our ward as amazing. Having such exceptional feedback it was all down to the staff on the ward, they have never given up on the ward and this was reflected when we received the accreditation. It honestly was one of the proudest moments of my nursing career, it was the first time I had been involved in receiving any form of accreditation, not only a professional achievement but a personal one for me.
I honestly have struggled to put in words how proud I am of my amazing team, that means everyone not just the nursing team, consultants, junior doctors, our lovely ward admin, housekeepers, domestic, OT and physio, I can go on and on. I can honestly say hand on heart that I love my job and love coming to the ward every day. The team and the ward is a massive part of me and my life now and I honestly wouldn’t want it any other way. The work we do is amazing and I honestly believe what we do every day does a make difference to our patients lives.”
Andy Brogan, Executive Director of Mental Health Services and Deputy CEO at EPUT said: “This accreditation really acknowledges the hard work and dedication of all the staff at Grangewaters Ward. It is thoroughly deserved and I am very proud of their achievement. Being awarded an accreditation by the Royal College of Psychiatrists shows our commitment to continuously improve the quality of care that we provide, and this can only be good news for our patients.”