Irvine Unit Bexhill Hospital

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback, which we will ensure is shared with the staff at Bexhill Irvine Unit. We hope you are making progress following your ankle injury.

Dear Yvette, Thank you for your feedback and observations following your admission to the Irvine Unit. The Trust strives to provide a high standard of care to all our patients, and we are sorry this has not been your experience. Your comments have been shared with the Head of Nursing for Integrated Care, who has explained that the visiting process is changing meaning that friends and family will no longer need to book slots and we are exploring the use of mobile phones within the bays to support patient use. The Head of Nursing was also disappointed to receive your feedback around staff lacking in compassion, as this is one of the Trust's core values, which she will reiterate to staff. Your comments in terms of the catering provision will also be relayed to the Facilities Lead. However, should you wish to discuss your experience further with a member of the Patient Experience Team, then please contact 0300 131 5309 or email esh-tr.PatientExperience@nhs.net

Thank you for taking the time to leave some feedback about your experience, or that of a loved one, whilst admitted to the Irvine Unit at Bexhill Hospital; we do appreciate it.

The Trust has continually strived to provide a high standard of care to all patients, and support their relatives, through some of the most challenging and complex times of the last few years and indeed, in the 74 year history of the NHS as a whole, and so we are sorry to read of your concerns with the COVID visiting restrictions that were in place at the time of your feedback and how you found staff to be uncaring.

You will appreciate that as a responsible healthcare provider and in line with our infection control measures and national guidance, we have been committed to keeping patients (many of whom were frail or vulnerable), staff and visitors safe and minimising the risk of spread of COVID in all of its various mutations. This led to some very difficult decisions being made about visiting to our inpatient areas, and we recognise that this caused great worry and distress for everyone; patients, staff and visitors alike. We worked tirelessly to do whatever we could to facilitate contact and communication between patients and relatives, often in situations where staffing levels were reduced as a result of them or their families contracting COVID or being required by national guidance to isolate. It was a far from ideal situation, but our commitment to the care and safety of everyone was the overriding factor, and we eased visiting restrictions after careful monitoring as soon as it was safe to do so.

We are sorry that you felt the use of Healthcare Assistants (HCA's) superseded qualified staff however, there may have been valid, logistical and safety reasons for this. Equally, we are sorry if you felt staff were rude or uncaring as this does not reflect the Trust values. If you have not already done so, you may wish to consider raising a complaint about your experience so we can explore these issues directly with you. You can reach the Complaints Team at esh-tr.complaints@nhs.net

We hope this is of help and apologise for the experience you have described.

Thank for you taking the time to leave us some feedback about the care and treatment your mum received on the Irvine Unit at Bexhill Hospital; please accept our very belated, but nevertheless genuine, condolences.

The Trust strives to provide a high standard of care and treatment to all patients, and so we are very concerned and sorry to read this is not the experience your mum had prior to her death on transfer to Conquest Hospital. We apologise for the concern and distress this matter caused you, your mother and your family both at the time, and undoubtedly still till this day.

It would appear from your feedback that an investigation via a formal complaint might be helpful in looking at your concerns and if you have not already so but would like to, you can reach our Complaints Team at esh-tr.complaints@nhs.net to discuss this in more detail.

In the meantime, we hope you and your family are well and able to cherish the many wonderful and undoubtedly fond memories you have of your mum .