Culture & Care Review: Priory Hospital Arnold

Report - 1 September 2026

In June 2026, Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire was commissioned by the Nottinghamshire Safeguarding Adults Board to carry out an independent Culture and Care Review at Priory Hospital Arnold, a mental health hospital in Nottinghamshire. The review looked beneath the paperwork to understand what daily life on the wards actually feels like for patients, and whether recent changes to safety have made a real difference to their experience.

About the Report

We brought together three kinds of evidence: what patients and staff told us in surveys and interviews, and what our team saw for themselves on the wards. 

The review found real progress. The hospital is clean and calm, physical safety has been strengthened, and most staff felt supported and able to raise concerns. But it also found that this progress has not yet reached every part of daily care. Some patients did not feel listened to or believed, awareness of the right to an urgent second opinion (Martha's Rule) was low, and care felt less consistent at night. 

The report makes six practical recommendations to help close the gap between feeling safe on paper and feeling safe as a patient.

Recommendations

  1. Record Physical Comfort and Apply Independent Clinical Review  
  2. Strengthen Senior Oversight of the Night-Shift Culture 
  3. Proactively Communicate Escalation Rights (Martha’s Rule) 
  4. Embed Cultural Competency and Individualised Care 
  5. Ensure Transparent Access to Independent Advocacy 
  6. Protect the Human Side of Care Across Shifts 

Downloads

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If you need this document in an alternative format please contact info@hwnn.co.uk or call 0115 956 5313.

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Enter & View: Priory Hospital Arnold
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