Health trust off special measures

7.41.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sat 29th Mar 2008

The health trust which runs mental health services in Cornwall has been removed from special measures. The Cornwall Partnership Trust was placed under additional supervision in 2006 after the Healthcare Commission found "significant failings".

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The commission said that the trust had made substantial progress in addressing failings in its services for people with learning disabilities. But it added that the improvements had to be sustained.

Several treatment centres and units for people with learning disabilities in Cornwall were investigated throughout 2005 following allegations of abuse. The Healthcare Commission said "widespread institutional abuse" had been going on for years and placed the trust into special measures in July 2006.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson confirmed on Friday that the special measures would be lifted with immediate effect. In a progress report, the commission said the trust had put in place the foundations for ensuring the service met best practice. In particular, it said the trust had begun to design services around the needs and choices of individuals.

But the commission cautioned that there was still considerable work to do and called for improvements to be sustained in areas ranging from record-keeping to further involvement of service users. It said the partnership trust, the primary care trust, the local authority and other providers all had to work to ensure all people with learning disabilities in Cornwall got safe, modern services that met best practice.

Partnership Trust Chief Executive Lezli Bowell said she was pleased with the news. She said it had been the result of hard work by staff and that the trust was now operating in a "culture of openness" and staff were giving "true commitment". She said: "A lot has happened with the staff. There's been a huge programme of improvements with regards to training and development, and better supervision and appraisal processes have been put in place."

Barbara Mcintosh, Co-Director of the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, said: "This achievement is down to the tremendous work done by the Change Team and many others working in partnership to make life better for people with learning disabilities in Cornwall."