Enter and view: West Sussex Middlesex University Hospital Adult Inpatient Ward

Healthwatch Richmond upon Thames have conducted a series of Enter and View visits to adult inpatient wards at West Middlesex University Hospital in October 2018.

Observations by the Enter and Visit representatives reported that: staff were rarely able to spend time interacting with patients unless they were performing a care-related task, nor were they observed having enough time to interact sufficiently with those who had dementia. It was observed that staff appropriately and thoughtfully supported patients during mealtimes. Again, some wards showed poor food-related care as they appeared disorganised and understaffed. The ward environment was consistently clean but during the night appeared particularly busy and frantic.

Patients commented that: the staff were friendly and kind with positive attitudes. Most wards had a good quality of care but there were reports of poorer quality in specific wards, these were not widespread. There was mixed feedback given regarding the quality and choice of food provided. Patients reported that communication between staff and patient was positive with clear information being explained and an effort to keep patients up-to-date. The majority of patients felt their privacy and dignity had been respected throughout their stay.

Staff members were spoken to get their feedback and they reported that they felt positive about working with their teams and were well supported by senior staff. However, concerns were raised about staffing levels and how this affected the quality of care they were able to provide.

The hospital responded positively to the report and stated that the recommendations for improving the wards are being addressed.