Health organisations have reacted after a damning report into a Sussex hospital trust revealed “bullying”, “harassment” and staff shortages were putting patients at risk.

The University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust has been downgraded by the Care Quality Commission from outstanding to requires improvement following its latest inspection last autumn.

During the inspection in October, the CQC looked at neurosurgery, children and young people’s urgent and emergency care, as well as management and leadership of the trust. 

This followed other inspections at the trust over an 18-month period which highlighted failings in several departments, and were in part prompted by whistleblowing concerns from staff.

As well as the decline in its overall rating, how well led the trust is has declined from outstanding to inadequate. How responsive and safe the trust is has also dropped from outstanding to requires improvement. The criteria of effective and caring remain outstanding.

NHS Sussex said it is working closely with the trust to make the required improvements.

Adam Doyle, chief executive officer of NHS Sussex, said: “We acknowledge the findings of the report and are working closely with the trust, the Care Quality Commission and NHS England to ensure the necessary improvements are made.

“We recognise the hard work and progress that has already been made to address many of the areas outlined in the report and will continue to support the trust to deliver the improvement plans that are in place for some of the other long-standing challenges that will take time to address, both across the organisation and in collaboration with system partners.”

Alan Boyd, chief executive officer of Brighton and Hove Healthwatch, a community interest company which “champions” the views of service users, said the group will also support the trust as it implements changes.

“This latest CQC rating is clearly disappointing for patients but also all staff who work incredibly hard to ensure that patients receive excellent care,” he said.

"Of particular concern is that services at the Royal Sussex County [Hospital in Brighton] are not considered to be safe although patients should be reassured that the care offered across the trust has been rated as outstanding.

"Healthwatch works closely with the senior management team at the trust and have been reassured by the actions that have already been put in place to deliver the required improvements.

"We need to support our trust as it continues its recover from Covid-19 and embeds change to deliver improvements and Healthwatch will be there to do this whilst offering critical challenge and championing the patient voice and experience.”