A PRIVATE psychiatric hospital has been rapped by health care watchdogs after a spate of incidents involving patient safety.

The Priory in Hythe Road, Marchwood, has been told to improve following an inspection carried out by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates the industry.

The CQC report says inspectors identified “multiple ligature points” – handles and other objects that could be used by patients intent on self-harm.

It adds: “We found evidence that there had been a significant number of incidents involving ligatures in the previous 12 months.

“In light of the high level of risk of harm to patients from ligatures, and the high number of ligature incidents, we did not receive the necessary assurance that the provider had taken effective steps to address the risk.”

Last night Priory Healthcare Ltd, which runs the hospital, said “extensive” changes had been made in the wake of the CQC report which gave an overall rating for the provider as "requires improvement."

The company said many of the handles had been replaced with safer alternatives and others were also also due to be removed.

But the report raises several other concerns, claiming the poor layout of the building prevents staff from easily observing all parts of the wards.

It also says inspectors concluded that failings in the system for reporting incidents made it “extremely difficult” to make an accurate assessment of the hospital’s safety record. It adds: “There was not an open culture of incident reporting.

“We noted that staff had been directed by managers to record multiple incidents on single incident forms and not to record ‘minor’ incidents.”

The report says Priory Healthcare must take all necessary action to tackle the ligature risks associated with ligatures.

It also instructs the company to review the use, level and monitoring of restraint techniques and what it calls the “rapid tranquilisation” of patients.

Some sections of the report praise The Priory, rating it “good” in terms of being caring, effective and responsible.

It says: “We observed that staff treated people with compassion and were sincere and caring in the way they interacted and gave support.

“Staff engaged with patients in a discreet and respectful manner when discussing personal issues.

“The patients we spoke to were generally positive about the staff who, they said, treated them with kindness, dignity and respect.”

But the CQC says safety and leadership at The Priory both need improvement.

A hospital spokesman said: “The safety and wellbeing of our patients is our top priority and we take the Care Quality Commission’s report extremely seriously.

“Since this inspection took place, we have taken immediate action to further improve the care we provide and significant changes have been introduced to make the hospital safer.”

The spokesman said the changes had included removing ligature points from bathrooms and other areas of the hospital.