Avon and Wiltshire youth mental health service upgraded to 'good' after community care improvements

The community mental health service for children and young people in Avon and Wiltshire has received a "good” rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), a significant upgrade from the previous "requires improvement” classification. This change follows an inspection conducted in June, during which regulators found that the trust was no longer in breach of regulations regarding risk assessments, staffing safety, or environmental concerns that had plagued the service previously. Practical improvements for patients For young people receiving care at home, the shift in rating reflects specific operational changes aimed at reducing the need for long-distance hospital admissions. Inspectors noted that staff now develop bespoke care packages, allowing complex cases to be managed within the community. A notable example cited was the provision of nasogastric tube feeding for young people with eating disorders in their own homes, a service previously unavailable outside of inpatient settings. The service has also integrated clinical monitoring into community visits. A clinic within the service now offers blood tests, weight monitoring, and electrocardiograms (ECGs), eliminating the need for young people to rely on their general practitioners for these checks and removing the wait time for results. Additionally, those on the waiting list now have access to 24-hour crisis support, with staff actively checking in to assess if needs have deteriorated, ensuring faster intervention for those whose mental health is declining.