Cygnet St William’s retains Triangle of Care accreditation

A Darlington hospital has successfully retained its Triangle of Care accreditation, recognising the service’s continued commitment to working in partnership with carers and families to support the recovery of patients.

Cygnet St William’s, on Cornwall Avenue, is a 12 bed Neuropsychiatric service, run by Cygnet Health Care, offering treatment to those affected by acquired brain injuries.

The Triangle of Care is a nationally recognised framework developed to promote collaboration between healthcare professionals, service users and carers. It is based on the principle that involving carers as equal partners in care leads to better experiences and improved outcomes for patients.

The accreditation follows a comprehensive review of the service, which found that Cygnet St William’s has continued to build on the strong foundations established when it first achieved its Star 1 Award two years ago.

Assessors praised the hospital’s structured and thoughtful approach to engaging carers, highlighting strengths including making early contact with families at admission, providing regular opportunities for carers to contribute to care planning, effective use of communication agreements and Carers Passports, and a strong culture of listening and responding to feedback.

The report also recognised the service’s Carer Lead role, its visible use of the “You Said, We Did” initiative to demonstrate improvements made in response to feedback, and the creation of dedicated opportunities for carers to share their views. A

Assessors also commended the support offered to families when they are first introduced to the service, alongside signposting to wider sources of support.

Chelsea Phelan, hospital manager at Cygnet St William’s, said: “We are honoured to maintain our Triangle of Care accreditation. It reinforces our belief that the best outcomes for our patients come from strong partnerships with those who know them best, their carers and families.

“It is a real testament to the hard work and collaboration of our staff and the valued input of carers. Together, we are creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for our patients.”

The Triangle of Care framework is overseen by the Carers Trust and sets out six key standards that help mental health services embed meaningful carer involvement into everyday practice. Accreditation demonstrates that services are committed to recognising carers as experts by experience and ensuring they are supported, informed and involved throughout a patient’s care wherever appropriate.

Chelsea added: “By maintaining our accreditation, all of us at Cygnet St William’s have demonstrated our ongoing commitment to strengthening relationships with carers, ensuring their voices are heard and valued, and continuing to deliver person-centred care that supports recovery.”