Enter and View: East Sussex Healthcare Trust

In November 2016, Healthwatch East Sussex undertook Enter & View visits to three local hospitals to find out how services are being delivered, especially under winter pressures. This report presents a snapshot of interactions between Healthwatch staff and patients, relatives, carers and hospital staff in Eastbourne District General Hospital, the Conquest Hospital in Hastings and at Bexhill Community Hospital. People’s experiences during the 24 hours of the visit were largely positive, and comments were complementary about the care received, with most respondents rating it as very good or excellent. There were some areas identified to follow up which included the mental health pathways in A & E, pathways for homeless people and cleanliness concerns. The report also found that the number of inappropriate attendance of some patients in A & E departments remains high, largely due to previous negative experience with NHS 111.