A TEN-BED hospital for women with learning disabilities could be forced to shut if it does not improve.

The warning comes after Yew Trees, in The Street, Kirby-le-Soken, was branded as inadequate by heath watchdogs.

Owner Cygnet Health Care was told by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) the hospital required improvements following previous inspections in April and October 2019.

It was placed in special measures in December but an inspection in January found serious ongoing shortcomings.

The CQC said it is “taking action in line with our enforcement procedures” to begin the process of preventing the provider from operating the service.

This will lead to cancelling the home’s registration or to varying the terms of its registration within six months if it does not improve.

However, Cygnet says although it implemented a comprehensive action plan to address the issues it was made aware of in October, it did not have sight of the CQC’s detailed findings from the inspection, or a full list of areas for improvement until January 20.

Cygnet has been told there was inadequate leadership and oversight of the safety and quality of the service and it had not made the required improvements it was told were needed at previous inspections.

CQC inspectors added that Cygnet did not address concerns over ensuring the safe observation of patients.

A spokesperson for Cygnet said: “Whilst we acknowledge the findings of the CQC report, the report does not reflect the exceptionally short time frame involved in measuring progress.

“Although we had implemented a comprehensive action plan to address the issues that we were made aware of in October, we did not have sight of the CQC’s detailed findings from the October inspection or a full list of areas for improvement until January 20.

“This gave us insufficient time to fully embed all the improvements and new processes before the follow-up inspection which started on January 13 and concluded on January 29.

“We take seriously the provision of highly specialised care, and would like to reassure patients and their families that a new management team has been appointed and we have addressed all the issues raised to ensure relevant changes and improvements are embedded in practise.

“The report acknowledges that staff were discreet, respectful and responsive when caring for patients and that patients were involved in their own care and supported with activities outside the service, including to keep in contact with their families and carers, which in the current circumstances is now more important than ever.”