A Northumberland doctor has spoken about how he has helped turn around a struggling private hospital by working with patients - and also shared his concerns about the pressures mental health services are under.
Dr Gbolagade Akintomide, is a consultant psychiatrist at Cygnet Hexham, a private hospital catering for women with mental health problems. Speaking to ChronicleLive, he said involving patients in their own care and helping to reduce the restrictions on their daily lives was key.
Following an inspection in 2019, when the service provided wards for adults with a learning disability or autism and named Cygnet Chesterholme, enforcement action was taken. The service was rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission and placed into special measures before closing in September 2019 and reopening in October 2020. Earlier this year, it received a much-improved "Good" rating.
