The 24-bed mental health rehabilitation service, based on Argoed Hall Lane in Mold, provides High Support Inpatient Rehabilitation (Level 2) and Community Rehabilitation (Level 1) for women with mental health needs.
The Triangle of Care is a nationally recognised quality improvement framework, overseen by Carers Trust, which promotes collaboration between healthcare professionals, service users and carers. It is based on the principle that recognising carers as equal partners in care leads to better experiences and improved outcomes for patients.
Following a comprehensive assessment, reviewers concluded that Cygnet Delfryn Lodge had demonstrated “a strong foundation for Star 1”, with a clear commitment to identifying, involving and supporting carers throughout a patient’s care.
The assessment praised the Cygnet Health Care service’s culture of carer involvement, noting that responsibility for supporting families is shared across the entire multidisciplinary team, including support workers, reception colleagues, housekeeping staff and clinical teams.
Reviewers said: “Your panel showcase provided a strong sense of ‘think carer’ cultural development. We heard how carer involvement is a whole-team responsibility, not limited to Carer Leads.”
The report highlighted several examples of how feedback from carers has directly influenced improvements within the service. This included refurbishing the family and visitors’ room to create a more welcoming, homely environment after carers and service users requested a space where loved ones could spend quality time together and patients could make drinks for visitors.
Assessors also recognised the service’s “You Said, We Did” approach, which has led to improvements in communication with families, increased opportunities for carers to contribute to care discussions, enhancements to visiting spaces and the introduction of a call log to ensure family, friend and carer contacts are consistently recorded and followed up.
The report also praised the Cygnet Carers, Family and Friends Involvement Flowchart, describing it as “an excellent at-a-glance tool” that gives staff clear guidance on identifying carers, making contact, sharing information appropriately and providing ongoing support.
Feedback from carers formed an important part of the assessment, with one family member saying: “We’ve been supported as a family. It’s the first time in six years that we’ve actually been able to relax a bit because they’re so well cared for.”
Another carer described feeling listened to throughout their loved one’s admission, praising the responsiveness of staff and the support they received to take part in ward rounds and meetings.
The assessment also highlighted the service’s approach to supporting carers beyond the ward environment. The Cygnet Health Care service was recognised for offering practical and emotional support through organisations such as Black Belt Advocacy, while also providing comprehensive wellbeing guidance covering carers’ assessments, contingency planning, financial support, emotional wellbeing, respite services, counselling and national support organisations.
Reviewers also found evidence that carers are actively involved in discharge planning, helping to support smoother transitions back into the community and ensuring families are equipped to continue supporting their loved ones following discharge.
Leanne Smith, Cygnet Hospital Director, said: “We are incredibly proud that Cygnet Delfryn Lodge has achieved Triangle of Care Star 1 accreditation. This recognition reflects the dedication and compassion of our entire team, who work hard every day to ensure carers and families are recognised as valued partners in a person’s recovery.
“We know that carers have unique knowledge and insight into their loved ones, and by listening to their experiences and involving them in care wherever appropriate, we can deliver better outcomes for the people we support. It is particularly pleasing that the assessment recognised the way colleagues from across the hospital, from our clinical teams to reception and housekeeping staff, all play a role in creating a welcoming, supportive environment for carers.
“While we are delighted to have achieved this accreditation, we also see it as a foundation to build upon. We will continue working closely with carers, listening to their feedback and strengthening the support we provide to ensure they remain at the heart of everything we do.”
Mary Patel, Triangle of Care Programme Lead at Carers Trust, said: “This Triangle of Care accreditation represents a hugely positive step forward in strengthening partnerships with carers – so family and friends who look after someone with mental health needs are involved in care planning, and have their important role recognised. Congratulations to all the staff and carers at Cygnet Delfryn Lodge for this achievement, and we encourage everyone involved – from frontline staff to senior leads – to continue building on this foundation of good practice.”