Enter and view: Maternity Ward at Royal Sussex County Hospital

Healthwatch Brighton and Hove carried out an Enter and View visit to the Maternity Assessment Unit, Postnatal Ward and Antenatal Ward at the Royal Sussex County Hospital on 24 April 2023. Overall, the wards were found to be clean, calm and welcoming, with volunteers rating them highly for being caring and well organised. Patients generally spoke very positively about their experiences, particularly praising midwives and maternity staff for being supportive, reassuring and attentive. 

The strongest theme was the quality of care provided by staff. Several patients described their maternity experience as “fantastic” or “incredible” and reported excellent communication and emotional support from midwives. Staff were observed to be friendly and approachable, and patients felt well supported both during labour and after birth. Volunteers also noted clear patient information displays and good ward organisation. 

The main concern identified was poor signage to maternity services. Volunteers found it difficult to navigate from the bus stop, car park and hospital corridors, and felt this could be problematic for women arriving in labour. Some practical issues were also noted, including a lack of emergency pull cords in bathrooms and the absence of corridor handrails. One patient reported feeling her concerns about the speed of labour had not been listened to, which resulted in her partner missing the birth. Another described frustration relating to a delayed diagnosis, although she remained positive about the support provided by midwives.

Healthwatch concluded that the maternity wards provide a caring, supportive and well-run service, with staff regarded as a major strength. Recommendations focused on improving signage throughout the hospital, installing bathroom emergency cords, adding corridor handrails and ensuring patients feel listened to when raising concerns about their care.