MENTAL health bosses in Oxfordshire have promised to launch a review after a national survey said their trust was one of the worst performing in the country.

The Care Quality Commission carried out a survey of patients at 66 mental health trusts, including the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

The trust came in the worst performing 20 per cent of trusts for 20 out of 37 categories and in the middle 60 per cent of trusts for 17 categories, after 119 patients responded to the survey.

More than 23,000 patients a year are cared for by the trust.

Patients could receive treatment for conditions ranging from depression to schizophrenia.

Dr Peter Skolar, chairman of Oxfordshire County Council’s health scrutiny committee, said: “I have arranged a meeting with the trust managers and I will be asking them to explain in detail why the trust performed so poorly.”

Trust chief executive Julie Waldron said changes had already been implemented.

She said: “The patients feel they need more time with the staff and that is improving. We have two hours a day when nothing is happening apart from staff having direct time with the patients.

“Patient expectation is rising. I’m sure when we are re-surveyed we will be doing much better.

“We will be doing our own review to supplement the findings of the Care Quality Commission.”

A spokesman for the trust added: “We already have action in place to remedy the major shortcomings identified in this survey as we seek to take the views and opinions of our patients about their care.

“We already have a plan to improve and upgrade our buildings and wards.

“Our scores were not all bad. One particular area we scored highly on was patient access to single-sex accommodation on our wards.”

The trust came in the worst performing 20 per cent regarding plans for patients being discharged, and for the provision of information for patients about how they could get help after leaving hospital.

A total of 7,527 patients were surveyed nationwide.