No inquiry into ward

The Healthcare Commission visited the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton shortly after an undercover TV programme in the summer revealed shocking lapses in care.

The review team wanted to make sure there were no threats to patient safety and care, especially on the Peel and Stewart Ward, which was at the heart of the Panorama programme's findings.

The decision has angered relatives of those treated on the ward who wanted a fuller investigation to be held.

During their visit, the commission's team spoke to patients, ward managers, ward staff and trust senior managers and reviewed various action plans and strategies.

The team also checked the care being given on the wards.

They found the patients to be well cared for and comfortable, with correct measures being taken to record patient details, treatments and condition.

Patients spoken to on the wards by the team said they were receiving very good care.

Since the visit, commission staff met again with senior managers along with representatives from Brighton and Hove City Council and the Primary Care Trust to hear more about planned improvements.

Jon Billings, the commission's head of the London and South-East region, said: "The concerns raised by the Panorama documentary were extremely serious.

"Since our visit to the trust we have been reassured that they have made good progress on the wards to tackle the problems highlighted.

"We concluded that a formal investigation by the commission was not necessary at this stage.

"However, there is some further progress needed and we will be working with the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority No formal inquiry into ward conditions to follow up on action plans and monitor the trust's progress so patients get the best possible level of care.

"We are glad the trust and its key partner organisations are discussing what lessons can be learned to prevent this from happening again and would encourage this to continue."

A trust spokeswoman said: "We welcome the commission's decision not to launch a formal investigation but that does not detract from the seriousness of the issue.

"Ensuring a good standard of care is provided to our patients, whatever their age, is a priority for this organisation and our staff."

Sharon Barrett from Shoreham, whose grandmother, Edith Cavell Herring, was treated at the Royal Sussex and died there in December, said she was disappointed.

She said: "I find it strange that something as bad as this was able to happen but that no formal inquiry is to be held.

"My nan ended her days in such a pitiful way and with a lack of dignity. I don't want anyone else to go through what she did.

"It is all very well for them to say things are better now but that doesn't take away the fact patients and their families had to go through all of that. There should be a fuller investigation.

"The commission gave the hospital trust a zero star rating recently but apparently there doesn't have to be an inquiry into the care of patients. That does not seem right to me."

Panorama exposed appalling conditions and standards of care on Peel and Stewart, a 27-bed ward in the oldest part of the Royal Sussex.

It featured harrowing scenes of elderly patients sitting in their own filth, lying in agony and being left to their own devices.

Trust chief executive Peter Coles admitted to a specially-called meeting of the city's Health and Scrutiny Panel earlier this month that managers had been aware of failing standards on the ward eight months before the documentary was screened.

He said the trust was aware of rising numbers of complaints about the quality of care and leadership and the number of incidents of elderly patients falling over, medication errors and other failings.

Mr Coles said an action plan was being drawn up and the trust had already started dealing with the problems when the programme went out.

He admitted the programme showed unacceptable care standards but that changes, including a new head for the ward, had been put into place.

After the programme went out, The Argus was inundated with letters, phone calls and emails from angry relatives critical of the care their loved ones had received.