CQC rates St Andrew’s Healthcare’s Essex hospital as ‘Good’, praising staff for their kindness
St Andrew’s Healthcare in Essex, which specialises in complex mental health care, has been rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
This marks an important step in the charity’s ongoing commitment to transform lives with high-quality specialist mental health care.
The CQC report, published following an inspection in October 2025, highlights a range of positive developments across the service, including:
- Well-organised, person-centred care.
- Supportive and inclusive ward environments.
- Opportunities for patients to undertake meaningful activities, education and work in the community.
- A skilled leadership team driving a positive, values-led culture.
- Good patient communication, including a robust complaints process that listens, learns and drives change.
During its inspection, the CQC spoke to patients and carers. Patients said that staff treated them with “kindness and respect” and that they felt “safe on the ward”.
Carers said staff were “supportive and very caring”, and that the environment was “clean and welcoming”. They also noted that they felt “involved” in their loved one’s care and that things had been “explained clearly” to them.
The regulator noted that there were “qualified, skilled and experienced staff” on wards who worked together well to provide “safe care that met people’s individual needs”.
Antony Miller, St Andrew’s Service Director for the Essex hospital, said: “Achieving a ‘Good’ rating from the CQC is an important step for St Andrew’s Healthcare in Essex and reflects the commitment of our team and the positive culture we continue to build together.
“It reflects the experiences of our patients and their carers, who tell us they feel safe, respected and listened to. While this rating is a welcome recognition, we remain focused on ongoing improvement and on ensuring we provide person‑centred, high‑quality care every day.”
The full CQC report is available here.
