A whistleblower has raised concerns about how patients will be cared for when a hospital’s mental health building closes.

The East Brighton Community Mental Health Centre at Brighton General Hospital has been undergoing essential external works.

An anonymous whistleblower said the works were due to take ten weeks but have now gone on for “much longer”.

They said staff had “endured pneumatic drills all day long” and “blacked out windows” and had been expected to work as normal in the conditions.

Some thought the trickle vents in their buildings were not properly covered and were concerned about dust coming in to office spaces.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, whose staff work in the building in Pankhurst Avenue, has now confirmed that it has decided to relocate teams based in the building while the work is being carried out.

According to the whistleblower, staff were given two weeks’ notice about the relocation.

They said: "Patients will have  no community mental health base in east or central Brighton, some will now have to travel to Hove. Others have nowhere to be seen face to face.”

The building is owned by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. A Sussex Community spokesman said: “Essential external building works are being carried out at the East Brighton Community Mental Health Centre and we have been working closely with partners to ensure that there is minimal impact on patient care.”

A Sussex Partnership spokeswoman said: “With the summer months approaching and limited ability to open the windows, a decision has been made by our trust to relocate teams based in the building while the work is being carried out.”

Sussex Partnership has been contacted for further comment on plans for patient care.