In a letter to Matthew Kershaw,  Chief Executive of the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, she highlights that BSUH has recently been placed on the Care Quality Commission’s list of Trusts to be inspected using a new, in-depth methodology. 

She also says she has spoken to nurses who are concerned about a crisis in the Emergency Department at the Royal Sussex.  Earlier this month the hospital was placed on ‘Black Alert’, with services under extreme pressure and some non-urgent surgery cancelled.

The letter calls for a summit to address these concerns, along the lines of a similar event last year.

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said:

“It’s almost a year since nurses spoke out about pressures on services at the Royal Sussex and triggered a summit.  While some positive progress has been made since then, there are obviously still concerns. 

“The fantastic staff at the Trust – not just doctors and nurses, but also managers and support staff  –are doing everything they can to provide the highest possible levels of care.    However, they’re under huge pressure, and I know that many are very worried about the strain on services – in particular A and E.

“A summit would give staff another opportunity to have their concerns addressed , so that the Trust can build on the progress made over the past year.”

Note to editors

On 17 February the CQC announced that BSUH was one of 20 NHS trusts to face thorough scrutiny between April and June this year as part of its new approach to hospital inspections:

http://www.cqc.org.uk/public/news/20-nhs-trusts-inspection-under-new-app...