- SERVICE PROVIDER
NAViGO Health and Social Care CIC
This is an organisation that runs the health and social care services we inspect
Report from 11 February 2026 assessment
Contents
Ratings - Wards for older people with mental health problems
Our view of the service
We inspected Navigo’s inpatient wards for older people with mental health problems on the 11 and 12 of November 2025. Navigo’s older persons wards are spread across two sites- The Princess Diana of Wales Hospital, where Konar Ward and Janine Smith Suite are based, and Tees House, a short distance away where Jane Lewington Suite is based. The older persons wards were last inspected in March 2023 and rated outstanding in safe and well-led. Tees house is currently unrated since Navigo completed the takeover in December 2022.
Konar Suite is a 13-bedroom ward for acute mental health admissions. The ward accepts admissions for patients with both organic (such as dementia) or functional (such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety) illnesses. The Janine Smith Suite is a 10 bedroom ward for patients with complex mental health needs who require a longer stay. This unit was created to prevent out of area placements for the local population. The Jane Lewington Suite is a 15 bedroom ward based at Tees House for patients with a complex mental health presentation either through dementia, acquired or chronic neurological disorder alongside a severe and enduring mental health diagnosis, or a combination of these disorders. Tee’s House is also utilised by both Konar Ward and Janine Smith Suite patients for activities.
The wards provide inpatient treatment and facilitate discharge planning for patients to move into more appropriate care settings or return home. Patients can be admitted either informally or under the Mental Health Act (MHA). The wards had access to a range of professionals that formed a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to meet the holistic needs of patients in their care.
We visited all three wards and found that the standard of care, the environments and documentation were excellent. We found there were enough staff to meet people’s individual needs, observed warm and meaningful engagement, activities and access to professionals. Staff were quick to respond to people’s needs and did so in a kind, caring and compassionate manner.
We did not identify any breaches of regulation during this inspection.
Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act Compliance Summary
Navigo had policies and guidance in place around the Mental Health Act (MHA) and the Mental Capacity Act (MCA). The policies were within date and had a scheduled review date. Staff we spoke with had a clear understanding of the difference between legislation and could identify the five key principles of the MCA. Managers had clear oversight of mandatory training of staff, ensuring staff were working within the regulations.
The ward had a Mental Capacity Act lead who could provide additional support and advice if needed. Leaders completed regular audits of MHA and MCA documentations to ensure patients were safe. Staff knew who their MHA officer was and how to raise any concerns or issues. Additional oversight was provided by the pharmacy team to ensure that people were prescribed medication safely and within regulations of legislation. Overall training compliance was 98.78%.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with 6 carers or family members of patients who are currently inpatients of Konar, Janine Smith Suite and Jane Lewington Suite. Feedback from carers told us that Navigo provides a high-quality, patient-centred, and compassionate service. The environment was described as safe, clean, and fit for purpose, with staff consistently praised for their kindness, professionalism, and commitment to patient wellbeing. Carers told us the service was responsive, well-organised, and inclusive, with carers feeling actively involved in care planning and shared decision-making for their loved ones.
Carers and patients report feeling listened to and respected, with one carer commenting: “The staff are doing a good job” and “Best place Dad has been so far.” Carers told us that staff provided individualised, compassionate care, including thoughtful gestures such as offering pamper sessions when patients decline baths. A carer also praised “the excellent end-of-life care”, noting staff ensured comfort and provided all necessary equipment.
Feedback from stakeholders and commissioners was overwhelmingly positive. Feedback from commissioners, family members and patients described high value and sense of safety from the staffing team and environment. Feedback to commissioners from social workers supporting discharge, highlighted that the older persons wards enabled patients to be placed in as low a level of restriction as possible. Staff encouraged people to move to their next placement such as care homes, by working with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to reduce medication and demonstrated stability or ways of working to reduce the presentation of behaviours that contributed to the reason for admission.