Eastbourne District General Hospital
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Based on 125 reviews
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Reviews (125)
MS nurse provision and support
Neurology
October 17, 2024
Have just moved from West Hertfordshire to East Sussex and need to transfer healthcare. It has proved a frustrating experience and needed much tenacity and lateral thinking by me. However the MS nurse service has been very impressive. Excellent communication, initiative and support, dealing directly with my previous HCPs - better than anything I’ve previously experienced (and I’ve had MS for 20years). So good to have a personal email contact. This is all by email so far, yet to visit hospital. I’m still working on the other areas I need to transfer and what is acutely demoralising is that the other departments cannot provide this level of service.. the MS nurses team show it can be done.
Unplanned discharge 8.30pm no NOK call
unknown
August 23, 2024
Father admitted to Seaford Ward EDGH with delirium and Parkinsons Disease. (not sure of specilism on that ward which is not on EDGH list). Father's partner died in May and their house was sold in his absence. Father lacked mental capacity to absorb this info so currently in limbo.
Daughter/Carer was told she would be notified about discharge and this would be planned with her input. It was not. The first she heard was a call at 8.30pm 19/08 from Milton Grange where her father had been sent. He had no spare clothes with him and no-one to orientate and reassure him as he had earlier thought he was on a ferry. (We at CFTC are supporting her daughter as his Carer. Feedback submitted at Carer's request)
Daughter/Carer was told she would be notified about discharge and this would be planned with her input. It was not. The first she heard was a call at 8.30pm 19/08 from Milton Grange where her father had been sent. He had no spare clothes with him and no-one to orientate and reassure him as he had earlier thought he was on a ferry. (We at CFTC are supporting her daughter as his Carer. Feedback submitted at Carer's request)
Discharged without proper treatment
Accident and emergency services
July 22, 2024
I attended A&E with a deep shin laceration about 3in long that resulted in a flap that clearly wouldn't close by itself. NHS111 told me an apptmt was made at A&E but when I arrived, was told there are no apptmts. Saw the triage nurse after a short wait. She advised there was no one on site competent to do stitches and if I insisted on staying I would be waiting all night until the day shift arrived, a further 8 hour wait. I was instructed to go home so at least my leg could be elevated to stem the continuing bleeding. The nurse applied gauze and a bandage to hold it in position, and gave me more supplies with instructions to just keep adding layers when it bled through.
I returned the next morning to be told that after 12 hours it was too late to close the wound properly, and I was looking at a higher risk of infection, a larger scar and longer healing time.
The day team grumbled this patient-passing between shifts was not unusual, but didn't want to Datix the refusal to treat - opting instead for a "quiet word" if they came across the people concerned.
It's not life threatening stuff but left me with concerns about the hospital's general competence, and the prevailing attitude towards patients, who seemed of less concern than staff. Whoever heard of an A&E with no one able to apply steristrips??
I returned the next morning to be told that after 12 hours it was too late to close the wound properly, and I was looking at a higher risk of infection, a larger scar and longer healing time.
The day team grumbled this patient-passing between shifts was not unusual, but didn't want to Datix the refusal to treat - opting instead for a "quiet word" if they came across the people concerned.
It's not life threatening stuff but left me with concerns about the hospital's general competence, and the prevailing attitude towards patients, who seemed of less concern than staff. Whoever heard of an A&E with no one able to apply steristrips??
Forgotten about in A&E
Accident and emergency services
October 28, 2023
On Wednesday 25th October, my daughter managed to get a face to face appointment with our GP. After a thorough examination, he diagnosed acute pyelonephritis which in his opinion was too severe to be treated with oral antibiotics and said she needed IV antibiotics which could only be administered via a visit to A&E. He printed off his notes including her medical history and results of his examination.
We arrived at A&E at around 4pm. It was extremely busy. We were called in to see the triage nurse after about an hour who wasn’t interested in seeing the notes from the GP. She was complaining that they are so busy because people just turn up without seeing a GP so they are overloaded. Again, I explained that we had seen the GP with a face to face appointment an hour before and he had sent us there because he couldn’t administer IV antibiotics, so we had no choice but to come there. She explained that they couldn’t do anything without doing blood tests so we should wait to be called in.
After around 4 hours, we had still not been called for blood tests, so I asked the receptionist if she could tell me roughly how much longer we would be waiting as my daughter was in a lot of pain. She was very abrupt in telling me that they are very busy and that she was sure we would be called when it was our turn. She explained that minor injuries were being treated and discharged first. I could see it was busy so accepted this.
Not long after, my daughter was called in for blood tests and again asked to wait. We waited and waited. People were coming and going but we were still not called in to see a doctor. The blood results were back by 21.00 as my daughter could see from the NHS app that her blood results had been processed.
Eventually at 4am, I reluctantly approached the reception desk again (reluctant due to the abrupt reply I got the previous time I asked) to explain that we had been waiting for 12 hours. She checked her computer and said that we must have left and come back because she wasn’t showing up and they presumed my daughter had left. We had not left the waiting area for 12 hours and most definitely had not been called in. Strangely enough, a few minutes later a doctor appeared and saw my daughter.
The doctor examined her and sent her for a CT scan before agreeing with our GP that she had pyelonephritis and got her a bed and administered the antibiotics and painkillers she so desperately needed. Her treatment took a couple of hours and then she was discharged.
I know that the department gets busy and can accept that but what I can’t accept is the amount of time we had to wait when we had already got a diagnosis from a fully qualified GP and a letter from him stating his findings from his examination and recommended treatment required.
We were not the only ones waiting for this long. There was also a gentleman, and an elderly lady who had arrived by ambulance at the same time as us. She was also left waiting and didn’t see a doctor until 6am. She was petrified but too afraid to ‘bother’ anyone. Left alone for 14 hours. It is disgusting that our NHS has become like this.
I believe we had been forgotten about. Not once did anyone come around the waiting area to see if everyone was OK.
I completely understand the strain the NHS is under but this treatment needs to be brought to someone’s attention as it is totally unacceptable.
We arrived at A&E at around 4pm. It was extremely busy. We were called in to see the triage nurse after about an hour who wasn’t interested in seeing the notes from the GP. She was complaining that they are so busy because people just turn up without seeing a GP so they are overloaded. Again, I explained that we had seen the GP with a face to face appointment an hour before and he had sent us there because he couldn’t administer IV antibiotics, so we had no choice but to come there. She explained that they couldn’t do anything without doing blood tests so we should wait to be called in.
After around 4 hours, we had still not been called for blood tests, so I asked the receptionist if she could tell me roughly how much longer we would be waiting as my daughter was in a lot of pain. She was very abrupt in telling me that they are very busy and that she was sure we would be called when it was our turn. She explained that minor injuries were being treated and discharged first. I could see it was busy so accepted this.
Not long after, my daughter was called in for blood tests and again asked to wait. We waited and waited. People were coming and going but we were still not called in to see a doctor. The blood results were back by 21.00 as my daughter could see from the NHS app that her blood results had been processed.
Eventually at 4am, I reluctantly approached the reception desk again (reluctant due to the abrupt reply I got the previous time I asked) to explain that we had been waiting for 12 hours. She checked her computer and said that we must have left and come back because she wasn’t showing up and they presumed my daughter had left. We had not left the waiting area for 12 hours and most definitely had not been called in. Strangely enough, a few minutes later a doctor appeared and saw my daughter.
The doctor examined her and sent her for a CT scan before agreeing with our GP that she had pyelonephritis and got her a bed and administered the antibiotics and painkillers she so desperately needed. Her treatment took a couple of hours and then she was discharged.
I know that the department gets busy and can accept that but what I can’t accept is the amount of time we had to wait when we had already got a diagnosis from a fully qualified GP and a letter from him stating his findings from his examination and recommended treatment required.
We were not the only ones waiting for this long. There was also a gentleman, and an elderly lady who had arrived by ambulance at the same time as us. She was also left waiting and didn’t see a doctor until 6am. She was petrified but too afraid to ‘bother’ anyone. Left alone for 14 hours. It is disgusting that our NHS has become like this.
I believe we had been forgotten about. Not once did anyone come around the waiting area to see if everyone was OK.
I completely understand the strain the NHS is under but this treatment needs to be brought to someone’s attention as it is totally unacceptable.
Nice service and very good care
Other
August 1, 2023
I was given very good care and very good service
Communication and clinical speak
Cardiology
May 26, 2023
Referred for R Test and Echocardiogram and test results sent to GP and to my NHS app. Unable to interpret letter as to whether this was a positive outcome or not. Unable to get to see GP to interpret findings and still waiting. A simple call on the findings from cardiology would have prevented this unnecessary anxiety. Have raised a request for information on what the letter means with department medical secretary and awaiting a response.
This said I have no doubt this is an example of the demand place on a service with a lack of capacity and reflective of the wider healthcare sector.
This is not a complaint and more of a learning opportunity in communication on improving the patient journey recognising that it is unlikely that NHS demand and capacity will change in the short term.
This said I have no doubt this is an example of the demand place on a service with a lack of capacity and reflective of the wider healthcare sector.
This is not a complaint and more of a learning opportunity in communication on improving the patient journey recognising that it is unlikely that NHS demand and capacity will change in the short term.
Good
Accident and emergency services
October 7, 2022
The new triage system is outrageous. It took me 15 minutes to fill in details on the tablet then asked for help.. triage nurses also dislike it. The patient was a child and was seen quickly. Had I not been with a child, I would have waited up to 4 hours and my star rating would have dropped.
Poorly organised and inefficient urology surgery department
Urology
July 28, 2022
A very bad experience, very poorly run urology surgery department.
Pembury Hospital is better organised
November 3, 2021
As a family we have had the unfortunate experience of having to attend EDG. Once in 2019 when my husband was poorly with type 1 diabetes. They sent him home. GP called ambulance the following morning and he was admitted to Pembury and received wonderful care. Recently, My son was sent home by EDH much to his GP amazement. My son has had to chase the follow up. And well me. Spoke to one consultant on the phone who told me completely different test results to the previous consultant who saw me. Left worried and confused. Apparently need a biopsy and since then I’ve heard nothing. So now the fun of trying to chase them up again. So all three visits just a poor service. Can’t put a price on health. So a move back to Kent for us.
Outpatient appointment
Respiratory Medicine
October 22, 2021
Appointment in chest clinic.
Extremely friendly and thorough. Condition fully explained and plan of treatment given. Further follow up arranged.
Extremely friendly and thorough. Condition fully explained and plan of treatment given. Further follow up arranged.
