York hospital for eating disorders in 'special measures' as food was putting patients 'at risk of harm'

The Care Quality Commission rated Schoen Clinic York "inadequate" following an inspection in January, having previously rated it as "requires improvement".

It said patients were at risk of harm "due to unsafe and unacceptable food provision that did not meet the complex needs of people using the service".

Other issues included some staff being unable to raise concerns for fear of bullying and harassment from managers. Also, there were incidents and safeguarding issues which were not always reported appropriately.

It will be reinspected within six months. Brian Cranna, CQC’s head of hospital inspection, said the clinic, which is run by Newbridge Care Systems, had to improve if it was to retain its registration.

Mr Cranna said: “We found people didn’t always receive the levels of care they have a right to expect and weren’t always treated with compassion and respect. Individual dietary needs weren’t always considered, and people weren’t involved in the planning of their care and treatment.

“Evidence of a closed culture, where people aren’t listened to, and issues aren’t escalated appropriately, was particularly concerning. An environment where people feel unable to speak up or where incidents aren’t recorded is completely unacceptable."

Mr Cranna said the provider had started to make improvements and they would be inspected again in the coming months.

The latest inspection found there was not always enough nursing and support staff, although there was enough medical cover, including a doctor who was quickly available in an emergency.

Of the beds, five are commissioned locally, and the rest are marketed nationally. One patient was privately funded by their family.

Schoen Clinic Group said they took action to address the issues raised within four weeks of the report and CQC inspectors were welcome "at any time" to reinspect.

They were "disappointed" that the work they had done had not been reflected in the final report.

They'd invested "significantly" carrying out an upgrade and putting in new systems and safety procedures and had an unblemished record of no serious clinical incidents.

They aimed to achieve a good or outstanding CQC rating as soon as possible, adding: "We remain completely committed to our patients and delivering the exceptional level of clinical care the Schoen Clinic Group are widely known for."