Inspectors have issued four recommendations for Murray Royal Hospital management to follow after an inspection.
The Mental Welfare Commission (MWC) of Scotland asked that activities for patients are improved.
Management must also ensure regular audits of care plans take place, and signage is made better, following an unannounced visit to Leven, Garry and Tummel wards at the hospital in September.
In addition, the MWC recommend hospital bosses ensure doctors record information detailing medical treatment plans for patients when required to do so.
The commission’s report on its visit to the three old-age psychiatry wards at the hospital is mainly positive, having reviewed the care and treatment of 12 patients and spoken with five relatives, as well as staff at various levels.
The report says the MWC observed “warm and caring” interactions between staff and patients in the Garry and Tummel wards and they saw “very good attention” was paid to physical healthcare needs across the three wards.
“We heard about the good links with general medical services based at Perth Royal Infirmary (PRI) and about the regular visits a general medical consultant from PRI was now making to the old-age psychiatry wards,” the document says.
The report states paperwork relating to patients detained in the hospital was up-to-date and easy to locate within files in the wards.
The commission also found patients seemed to have good access to independent advocacy services and commended the three wards, describing them as being “spacious” with patients having access to outside areas, with good “well-kept” garden spaces.
However, they recommended action on enhancing activities for patients despite some visits to the wards from Therapet and singing group, Elderflowers.
The report adds: “There is no dedicated activity co-ordinator post. There were ward activity schedules, but activities have to be organised by nurses in the wards.
“We heard it would often be difficult for nurses to set time aside to engage patients in activities.”
This issue was also raised during a previous MWC visit to the hospital in June 2017.
Rob Packham, chief officer with the Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership, welcomed the report.
He said: “We are delighted to have received such a positive report following the Mental Welfare Commission’s visit to Murray Royal Hospital.
“We acknowledge the recommendations made in the report and are currently developing an improvement plan to address these.”
Garry and Tummel are both 12-bed, old-age dementia wards, while the Leven ward is a 14-bed, old-age psychiatry ward. All three wards are mixed sex and part of the new-build facility at Murray Royal Hospital.
