The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Orri as ‘outstanding’ following its first full inspection. As well as the overall ‘outstanding’ rating, Orri was recognised as ‘outstanding’ in each of the CQC’s five key lines of enquiry – safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
It’s quite something to receive an ‘outstanding’ CQC rating on the day of your 3rd birthday, but here we are!
We first opened our doors in February 2019 and over the past 3 years have helped countless individuals and their families making meaningful and lasting changes in recovery.
Feedback has informed us that over 90% of clients would recommend the service to others, and our outcome data has also shown that it is a viable alternative to inpatient hospitalisation with 30% of clients otherwise at risk of hospitalisation. In March 2020, responding to the pandemic, we also introduced an online treatment programme which is proving to be as effective as our in person treatment in London.
Helen Rawlings, CQC’s Head of Hospital Inspection said,
“People’s needs were central to everything the staff and management did, which has resulted in an outstanding service. It is an excellent example to other providers who should look to learn from this report.”
Compassion, kindness, hope, professionalism, respect, collaboration and dignity underpin Orri’s treatment model, and these themes were all highlighted in the CQC report:
“People we spoke to were overwhelmingly positive about the staff, who, they told us, met their unique and individual needs with kindness and compassion,” said Helen Rawlings.
Kerrie Jones, our CEO and Founder commented:
“The whole team at Orri feels immensely proud of the CQC inspection report, not just for the ratings but for the incredibly positive comments made by the inspectors, ouR clients, team members and carers.
“The rating, alongside our third birthday marks a key milestone for Orri. We have worked incredibly hard to demonstrate that our intensive day treatment programme and stepped approach offers an effective and compassionate alternative to traditional models. We have seen a sharp rise in eating disorders since the pandemic, and hope that Orri can help many more clients over the coming years.”
Helen Rawlings, CQC, concluded:
“I was pleased to see the excellent quality of care being delivered by Orri, especially against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has ensured patient safety throughout, and continued to deliver the support its clients need, aided by an effective online treatment programme. Orri was delivering an exceptional experience to people who used this service as well as their families, during an extremely challenging time in people’s lives.”
Here are some additional quotes from Helen Rawlings, CQC’s head of hospital inspection:
“Orri was delivering an exceptional experience to people who used this service as well as their families, during an extremely challenging time in people’s lives.
“One person related how a staff member sat with them for an hour after the service closed as they needed emotional support, while another described how they received regular, motivational calls from their dietitian when they were struggling with their treatment and recovery.
Some further comments from the CQC press release and report include:
People receiving treatment at Orri were given an active role in decisions about their care, which evolved as they progressed through their recovery.
Bespoke treatment plans were tailored to individual needs and the service considered how to best support people with autism who used their service. For example, staff adapted their approach to take account of any sensory processing issues.
Inspectors found a strong community ethos throughout the service, creating an environment of mutual support.
They were particularly impressed that people who had completed their recovery kept in touch with the service and returned to deliver supportive webinars to new clients.
CQC also welcomed the service’s strong social media presence, which gave those accessing treatment the opportunity to share their experiences safely through closely monitored blogs and online interactions, as well as enabling them to keep in touch with the service and receive regular motivation when it was closed.
People using the service were also integral to its running. They were able to participate in recruitment panels and were encouraged and supported to give feedback, helping the service to continually improve the care it provided.
A positive culture characterised the organisation with staff feeling supported, respected and valued, and offered regular learning opportunities to ensure they continued providing great care.
The organisation worked to share its can-do approach, which was evidenced through collaboration with other organisations and charities, as well as sessions in local schools on body image and recognising eating disorders.
Highlights from the CQC report include:
Are services safe?
Rated: Outstanding
- Patients described staff as being exemplary in ensuring their safety and providing emotional support.
- Staff were very proactive in assessing, managing and anticipating risks to patients and themselves
- All patients we spoke with said they felt safe whilst using the service
Are services effective?
Rated: Outstanding
- Evidenced-based approaches are used to support the delivery of high-quality care and treatment. They ensured that patients had good access to physical healthcare and supported them to live healthier lives. Staff used recognised rating scales to assess and record severity and outcomes. They also participated in clinical audit, benchmarking and quality improvement initiatives.
- A truly holistic approach to assessing, planning and delivering care and treatment to all people who use services. Staff provided an extensive range of care and treatment for patients which exceeded national guidance and best practice examples. Staff from different disciplines worked together to make sure patients had no gaps in their care.
- Orri offered therapies which were in addition to those recommended in national guidance. In addition to the standard therapies for treating eating disorders
- This included cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, creative arts therapies, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), psycho drama therapy and MANTRA (Maudsley Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults). The service followed a stepped approach so that treatment evolved with each individual patient as they progressed in their recovery.
Are services caring?
Rated: Outstanding
- Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness and valued them as partners in their recovery. Patients told us that staff went the extra mile and above and beyond what they expected of them. Patients felt fully respected and valued as individuals and were empowered as partners in their care, both practically and emotionally. There was a strong person-centered culture.
- Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness and valued them as partners in their care.
- Staff provided practical help, emotional support and advice to patients when they needed it.
- Staff went the extra mile and above and beyond
- An extraordinary caring ethos throughout the service. A patient described the team as ‘truly caring’;
- People we spoke to were overwhelmingly positive about the staff, who, they told us, met their unique and individual needs with kindness and compassion.
Are services responsive to peoples’ needs?
Rated: Outstanding
- People’s individual needs and preferences were central to the delivery of tailored services. The service was innovative in meeting the needs of all patients, including those with a protected characteristic. Staff helped patients with communication, cultural and spiritual support.
- Staff went over and above to meet patients’ needs and thought about how the service could be tailored to support each individual. Technology was used innovatively used to ensure patients had timely access to treatment, support and care.
- The service could support and make adjustments for people with communication needs or other specific needs. Staff ensured that the treatment programme was adapted for autistic patients and patients with a learning disability.
Are services well-led?
Rated: Outstanding
- Managers were very experienced and demonstrated they were knowledgeable, highly skilled and had the leadership abilities to ensure the service delivered excellent high-quality care. They had a detailed understanding of the services they managed and were visible in the service and approachable for patients and staff.
- Senior managers were passionate about the service and fully committed to its aims, objectives and further development.
