Cygnet Sherwood House and Cygnet Hospital Sherwood

Updated 12 February 2026

Cygnet Behavioural Health Limited is a leading independent provider of mental health and social care services for adults and children in the UK. Cygnet Sherwood House and Cygnet Hospital Sherwood are in Rainworth, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and provide inpatient care for men across two distinct services on the same hospital site.

Cygnet Sherwood House provides a 30-bed specialist high-support inpatient rehabilitation (level 2) service for men who may be informal or detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA).

In January 2024, the hospital opened 3 new wards on the Rainworth site to offer Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and acute mental health services for men. These wards are Fern Ward (PICU), Bramble Ward, and Treetops Ward (acute mental health). We did not inspect these wards as part of this assessment.

The service registered with Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 17 November 2010 to deliver the regulated activities: Assessment or medical treatment for patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and Treatment of disease, disorder, or injury. The service has a controlled drugs accountable officer and a Registered Manager.

We assessed Cygnet Sherwood House with a site visit on 18 and 19 June 2025. We undertook the assessment in response to anonymous whistleblowing concerns about a lack of management oversight and governance following a recent incident of illicit drug use by patients at the service. We last inspected Cygnet Sherwood House in April 2019 as part of a comprehensive mental health inspection, and we rated the service as outstanding overall.

At this assessment, we rated the service as requires improvement. We found 3 breaches of regulations relating to safe care and treatment, good governance, and premises and equipment.

Staff did not always assess risks to patients’ health and safety or take action to reduce those risks, which meant patients’ were not always protected from avoidable harm. The providers systems for monitoring and improving the quality and safety of the service were not always effective, and leaders did not consistently identify or address issues. Staff did not always keep premises and equipment clean, suitable for their intended purpose, or properly maintained, which increased the risk of infection and affected patients’ comfort and safety.

We requested that the provider submit an action plan to address the concerns identified during this assessment.

Updated 30 May 2025

We completed an assessment of Cygnet Sherwood House with a site visit on 18 and 19 June 2025. We undertook the assessment in response to anonymous whistleblowing concerns about a lack of management oversight and governance in relation to a recent incident of illicit drug use by patients at the service. We last inspected Cygnet Sherwood House in April 2019 as part of a comprehensive mental health inspection. The service was rated as outstanding overall.

Cygnet Sherwood House is a 30-bed specialist high support inpatient rehabilitation (level 2) service for men who may be informal or detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA).

At our last assessment, we rated the service as outstanding overall. At this assessment, we rated the service as requires improvement. We identified three breaches of regulations relating to safe care and treatment, good governance, and premises and equipment.

Staff did not always assess risks to patients health and safety or take action to reduce those risks. This meant patients were not always protected from avoidable harm. The provider’s systems for monitoring and improving the quality and safety of the service were not always effective, and leaders did not consistently identify or address issues. In addition, the premises and equipment were not always kept clean, suitable for their intended purpose, or properly maintained, which increased the risk of infection and affected patients comfort and safety.

We requested that the provider submit an action plan to address the concerns identified during this assessment.

Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act Compliance

Staff were trained in and had a good understanding of the Mental Health Act 1983, the Code of Practice and the guiding principles.

Staff had easy access to administrative support and legal advice on implementation of the Mental Health Act 1983 and its Code of Practice. Staff knew who their Mental Health Act administrators were.

The provider had relevant policies and procedures that reflected the most recent guidance.

We saw evidence that patients had been informed of their rights under the Mental Health Act and the service provided appropriate access to advocacy.

Staff ensured that patients were able to take Section 17 leave (permission for patients to leave hospital) when this has been granted.