University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust

We'd like to echo this, a big thanks to our teams for their dedication and hard work on this project along with our partners. ?? By responding to the needs of our local population, the urgent treatment centre and same day emergency care unit will enable us to improve care by providing quicker treatment at the hospital's front door.

Working with us, how is it for you? ?????? ? As part of our ‘Big Conversation’ campaign, we want to hear from our health and social care partners and understand your experiences of working with us and how we care for our patients. It's your chance to share your insights (positive and negative), as well as ideas for the future. Your feedback will be considered as part of the process to develop a new five-year strategy for local acute hospital services, from 2025-2030. Anyone is able to take part in the online survey before it closes on the 10 December ??bit.ly/4f98HCj

Congratulations to our St Richard’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation Team! ?? We are thrilled to announce that the team has achieved accreditation through the Royal College of Physicians' Pulmonary Rehabilitation Services Accreditation Scheme (PRSAS)! ?? This prestigious recognition places the team among a small group of only 21 accredited services in the UK, and we are proud to be the sole accredited service in the South East! The PRSAS accreditation process is a voluntary review that requires services to meet high standards set by clinicians, managers, and patient advocates. This accreditation demonstrates our commitment to best practices and patient care, ensuring our patients receive top-quality, effective treatment. For our patients, this means access to high-quality, evidence-based care that supports their respiratory health and improves their quality of life. Achieving PRSAS accreditation sets a new benchmark for our Trust and is a testament to our team’s unwavering commitment to clinical excellence. ??

David Brown, 79, from Burgess Hill, has a severe heart condition, but thanks to a successful new procedure from our cardiac team at the Royal Sussex County Hospital he has made amazing improvements! ?? “I was so pleased to be the first patient to receive this procedure as my heart condition was making everyday tasks a struggle. When I had the surgery, it went really well, I had a great team looking after me who kept me informed every step of the way. I was even able to leave the same day to recover at home with my family.” “I can now walk on average about 7,000 to 10,000 steps a day without needing to stop to catch my breath.” Go David! Big thanks to our incredible heart specialists, read more here: https://bit.ly/4fY3Uni

Hear from Roxanne Smith, Chief Strategy Officer, about why your voices are important to the Big Conversation campaign. ?? You still have time to share your experiences of our hospitals, and ideas for the future, before the survey closes on the 10 December. Find out more about the Big Conversation: bit.ly/4f98HCj ??

Our Star of the Month winner is Dr Ahmed El-Zaafarany a colorectal surgeon previously at St Richard's Hospital. Dr Ahmed truly deserves this award for his exceptional dedication, compassion and selflessness providing critical care for people in Gaza in the most challenging circumstances.? This August, he made the decision to forgo his holiday to travel to Gaza, where he spent three weeks providing surgeries and caring for patients in a local hospital. During his time in Gaza, Dr Ahmed treated numerous war-wounded and injured patients, offering them much-needed medical attention. He also performed life-saving operations for patients with bowel cancer who had previously been unable to receive the necessary treatment. His unwavering commitment to helping those in need, even in the most challenging circumstances won him Star of the Month, a recognition scheme for colleagues who go over and above what is expected of them to make a difference to people. Thank you Ahmed, you truly are amazing. ?

Big things are happening at Worthing Hospital ?? Today marks the beginning of a ground-breaking ￡7m expansion of our Emergency Department at Worthing Hospital! ?? Joined by urgent and emergency care colleagues, capital development teams, and construction partners Morgan Sindall Construction, we celebrated the start of building works for a new Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) in West Sussex. The new UTC will provide urgent medical help for non-life-threatening conditions, offering appointments via NHS 111 and equipped to diagnose and treat common illnesses. Hospital Director, Stephen Mardlin shared, “We’re delighted to see the construction begin on this ￡7m expansion of our Emergency Department because it will have such a transformative effect for our patients, A&E colleagues and the rest of the hospital.” West Worthing MP, Rebecca Cooper, praised the investment, highlighting the positive impact on local healthcare. She said: “Such a significant investment in the town’s Emergency Department and creation of a new Urgent Treatment Centre is excellent news for everyone living locally.? “Speaking with staff today, it’s great to hear how excited they are to improve access and facilities for patients. I am delighted to see the works get underway and cannot wait to return next year when the UTC opens to the public.”? Worthing Hospital’s Emergency Department, the busiest in West Sussex, will see significant improvements, treating at least 40,000 patients a year with the new UTC. Designed by Crowther Architects and constructed by Morgan Sindall, the new facility is expected to be ready by Autumn 2025. This investment is part of University Hospitals Sussex’s commitment to expand and modernise the Trust’s Emergency Departments. ??

?? Let’s celebrate innovation in cardiology ?? We’re incredibly proud of our cardiology team at St Richard’s for their innovative pilot project using a ‘smart patch’ monitor to help diagnose heart rhythm conditions. ?? Led by Dr Mark Tanner, Consultant Cardiologist and Clinical Lead for Cardiology, this project used patch technology designed to detect potentially life-threatening heart rhythm conditions. Over a one-year period, 150 patients were fitted with a ‘smart patch’ the size of a matchbox, making it much smaller and lighter than some heart monitors traditionally used in the NHS, and meant they could comfortably wear it for up to a two-week period. Dr Tanner explains: “Unlike traditional monitors, which most patients can only tolerate for a few days, this smart patch is lightweight, comfortable, and shower-proof, allowing them?to wear the patch for prolonged periods. This increases the likelihood of diagnosing heart rhythm problems, especially if patients don’t experience symptoms daily. We found the results of this pilot project have been overwhelmingly positive, both in terms of patient experience and making a diagnosis.” Pamela Evans, 79, from West Sussex, experienced?heart palpitation symptoms that would come and go. She was fitted with the smart patch monitor and diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. This put Pamela at?an increased risk of having a stroke, and in some cases, atrial fibrillation can also?lead to?heart failure.? She is now receiving medication to reduce her stroke risk and manage her symptoms.? Pamela said: “I’m now worry free and can go about my life. I go to exercise classes, beach walks and love gardening.?I turn 80 next summer and can now look forward to celebrating with my family and grandchildren!” ? Dr Tanner stated: “Innovation in this area is growing, and this is one device we’ve trialled so far. Moving forward, our priority is to build on these findings and undertake a comprehensive market assessment to identify the most suitable patch solutions that align with our patients’ needs and NHS standards.” We’re proud to demonstrate our commitment to exploring advancements in patch technology to enhance patient care and benefit from these innovations. Incredible work team ???? ???? ????

Our restaurant at Worthing Hospital is open for business! Keep an eye out for 25% discount vouchers dotted about the hospital. ?? Hint hint: check communal spaces and main reception! Alison Ingoe, Commerical Director said: "Peabodys is all about serving people in the healthcare environment and their team take pride in quality and sustainability of their offer. Their food ranges are healthy, delicious and freshly prepared and we are delighted to welcome them to Worthing Hospital." Buen appetito!

We were delighted to welcome, Stuart Nelson, the newly appointed Chief Commercial Officer at the Department of Health and Social Services (DoHSC), to Royal Sussex County Hospital this week. Stuart connected with Chief Procurement Officer, Savita Mace, her team, and clinicians to understand the 'real-world' challenges and opportunities on the front line of healthcare delivery. Savita emphasized the importance of synergy between trusts and the DoHSC. The visit was a fantastic opportunity for Stuart to hear directly from clinicians like Dr. Mahmood Bhutta, Dr. Oliver Minton, and Dr. Nick Tovell about their experiences and aspirations. Stuart said: "Patient care is at the heart of everything we do, and supporting the incredible clinicians and commercial teams at trusts like University Hospitals Sussex is essential to achieving that goal. Seeing their dedication first-hand has reinforced my commitment to ensuring that our strategies at the Department of Health and Social Services empower them to deliver the best possible outcomes for patients." This visit marks a commitment to improving patient care and efficiency through collaboration, showing how partnership can drive meaningful change in the NHS. ??