Publication scheme - information about the Trust
How are we improving care
About us
We provide mental health, learning disability and specialist services across the North East and North Cumbria.
- Supporting over 1.7 million people
- Around 90,000 people using our services
- Over 8,600 staff across 70+ sites
We work with local partners to provide care in hospitals, in the community and in people’s homes.
Our overall performance
We are committed to providing safe, high-quality care, but we know we still have work to do.
- Rated “Requires Improvement” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- No enforcement action taken
- Improvement plans already in place
This means many people receive good care, but it is not yet consistent across all services.
What is going well
People's experiences
Most people tell us they have a positive experience:
- 86.8% said their experience was good or very good
- 88.5% said they felt safe
- 90.3% felt involved in their care
Feedback is improving year on year and compares well to other NHS trusts.
Better care planning
We have improved how we plan and record care:
- More up-to-date care plans
- More complete risk and safety plans
- Better involvement of families and carers
This helps keep people safer and improves outcomes.
Improved crisis support
We are making it easier to get help quickly:
- 24/7 support through NHS 111 mental health option
- New community-based support centres
- More alternatives to hospital admission
Our aim is to get people the right help at the right time.
Where we need to improve
Waiting times and access
Demand for services continues to grow.
- Increasing pressure on urgent care services
- Longer waits for some assessments
- Waiting times are a common concern in complaints
We need to improve how quickly people can access support.
Consistency of care
Not everyone has the same experience.
- Variation between teams and areas
- Some services performing better than others
Our focus is making care consistent everywhere.
Safety and systems
CQC identified areas we must improve:
- Staff training and supervision
- Risk management processes
- Oversight and governance
We are strengthening how we monitor and improve safety.
Communications
We know we need to communicate better:
- Complaints about communication have increased
- People want clearer, more timely information
Improving communication is a key priority.
Listening to feedback
We actively listen to people using our services:
- Over 7,000 surveys completed
- 76.7% of comments are positive
Common themes:
- Positive: staff attitudes and care
- Negative: waiting times and communication
We use feedback to make changes through our “You said – we did” approach.
Complaints
We actively listen to people using our services:
- Over 7,000 surveys completed
- 76.7% of comments are positive
Common themes:
- Positive: staff attitudes and care
- Negative: waiting times and communication
We use feedback to make changes through our “You said – we did” approach.
Our staff
Our staff are essential to delivering high-quality care.
- Staff sickness remains around 7%
- Staff survey shows:
- Good teamwork
- But some areas below national average
We are focusing on staff wellbeing, leadership and culture.
What we achieved this year
We have made progress in key areas:
- Improved care plans and safety plans
- Better patient experience scores
- More staff training in key areas
- Strong quality improvement and audit work
These improvements are helping us build more reliable services.
Our priorities for 2026 to 2027
We are focusing on four key areas:
Better safety planning
- Personalised risk and safety plans for every patient
More therapeutic care
- Improve how patients are supported and observed
Clearer diagnosis and records
- Ensure people receive the right treatment
Learning and improvement
- Share learning quickly and consistently across the Trust
These priorities focus on safety, quality and consistency.
Our commitment
We are committed to:
- Treating people with care, dignity and respect
- Listening and responding to feedback
- Working with partners to improve services
- Being open and honest about our performance
Our aim is to provide high-quality care, every day.
Full report
You can read the full Quality Account for detailed information about our services, performance and plans.
If you would like this document providing in a different format please contact
Email: QualityAssurance@cntw.nhs.uk
Phone: 0191 246 6935