BREAKING NEWS: East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust is branded ‘inadequate’ by CQC inspectors in report

A report published today (Friday, March 27) by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said the hospital’s maternity, surgery and outpatients services were ‘inadequate’.

Inspectors made an unannounced inspection of the hospital on The Ridge, together with its sister site, Eastbourne DGH, yesterday (Thursday) and on Wednesday.

The health watchdog branded East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs both hospitals, as ‘inadequate’.

An inspection took place in September last year before the CQC returned this week to assess the progress the trust had made addressing concerns raised.

The CQC said in most cases, a rating of ‘inadequate’ would lead to the Chief Inspector of Hospitals recommending that the trust be put in special measures.

Professor Sir Mike Richards, the Chief Inspector of Hospitals, said: “When we inspected East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust in September, we were extremely concerned at the disconnect we identified between the senior team and the staff working on the frontline. We saw no sign of a clear vision and strategy and a lack of response to concerns raised by staff. We had specific serious concerns about maternity, surgery and outpatients.

“Our recent inspection indicates there have been improvements in important areas for patients, but I am still concerned about cultural and leadership issues at the trust. I will not be making a judgment about special measures until we have fully assessed the results of our most recent inspection.

“We, alongside our partners will continue to keep a close eye on the trust and will inspect again in due course to assess whether or not adequate progress is being made.”

During the inspection last September a team of inspectors and specialists including doctors, nurses, managers and experts by experience visited Eastbourne DGH and the Conquest. The trust’s community healthcare services for children and young people were also inspected.

The CQC rates trusts on five key questions that reflect the care that patients have a right to expect. East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust was rated ‘inadequate’ for ‘Safe’ and ‘Well led’, ‘requires improvement’ for ‘Effective’ and ‘Responsive’ and ‘good’ for ‘Caring’.