Watchdog urges for improvement at East Surrey Hospital after 'potential for patient harm'
A report out today by the Care Quality Commission dropped the hospital's rating from 'outstanding' to 'needs improvement'
A health watchdog is urging for improvement at East Surrey Hospital after a decline in quality of care.
A report out today from the Care Quality Commission dropped the hospital's rating from 'outstanding' to 'needs improvement', following a series of inspections between September 2024 and January 2025.
The major healthcare provider serves communities across Surrey and Sussex.
Service "did not always keep people safe"
The report detailed that the "design, maintenance and use of facilities, premises and equipment did not always keep people safe".
It added that there were not always enough 'qualified, skilled and experienced' staff to ensure patient safety - with staff 'at all levels' unable to direct inspectors to guidance on patient risk assessments.
Instances were noted where a patients did not receive falls or capacity assessments or necessary safeguarding when admitted.
Meanwhile the service "did not always ensure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people's needs".
There were also two breaches of 'the legal regulations' connected to safe care and treatment, and governance.
The regulator added that while "no actual harm was found", there was 'potential' for patient harm.
People treated with "kindness, empathy and compassion"
The hospital was praised for its "vision of what it wanted to achieve" and having a "strategy to turn it into action".
Staff knew how to protect patients from abuse" and provided care based on both national guidance and evidence based practice.
The report found a "good standard" of cleanliness, safety and patient care
Trust: Inspection carried out at "particularly challenging" time
Paul Simpson, Acting Chief Executive of Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said:
"The CQC visited the Trust at a time that was particularly challenging. #
"They recognised that our inpatient services are caring, responsive and effective for patients - with our teams providing kind and compassionate care, with a clear vision for the future - but that the areas of safe and well-led required improvements.
"This has led to a change in the overall rating for our medicine inpatient service and East Surrey Hospital.
"Delivering safe, high-quality care to our patients is our absolute priority, and the Trust aspires to be an outstanding organisation across all its sites with services that patients feel safe and confident in, and we are committed to improving our ratings in every area.
"Since the CQC visit last September, East Surrey Hospital has made substantial changes.
"Many of the improvements raised by the CQC were in progress at the time of the inspection and have been further embedded over the past year.
"We have significantly strengthened our governance processes, launched a new 24/7 Freedom to Speak Up Service, and are now improving safety outcomes and enhancing our medicines safety policies and procedures.
"We recognise we have more to do to ensure patients can feel the impact of the positive changes we are making, but our teams are dedicated to patient care and continuous improvement, and this report will help us focus our efforts on making the immediate and long-term improvements that will deliver for our patients.”