A Brighton hospital has halted operations in a specialist field of surgery after an unannounced inspection by the government’s official health and care watchdog.
The suspension of surgery at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, is understood to have meant that operations were cancelled for two patients with cancer. They are expected to have their ops elsewhere.
The surgical specialism area, upper gastro-intestinal (GI) surgery, is understood to deal with about a relatively modest number of operations a year – in the low dozens.
But one health commentator said that each of these patients would be waiting for potentially life-saving surgery and probably have been ill for some time by the time they had an operation.
The watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), issued a statement this afternoon (Tuesday 23 August).
CQC network director Deanna Westwood said: “Following an inspection on Thursday 11 August, the CQC has today taken urgent action to suspend the activity of the upper gastro-intestinal surgery service at the Royal Sussex County Hospital site part of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.
“We took this action because we believe if we didn’t, patients using the service may be exposed to the risk of unnecessary harm.
“University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust has the right to appeal and further information will be published by the CQC when we are able to do so.”
The trust’s chief executive George Findlay said: “Everything we do is focused on giving patients the highest standards of care, and we are committed to working with the CQC to take all actions needed to make the required improvements.”
Dr Findlay added: “This affects a small number of patients but is a priority for us to get right and we are talking with those affected to support them and to agree alternative arrangements.”
The trust’s chief operating officer Andy Heeps emailed staff. Dr Heeps said: “Following the visit by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) earlier this month to inspect upper GI cancer surgery at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, we have now been informed by the CQC that this particular service should suspend activity due to concerns over its safety.
“This applies only to planned upper GI cancer surgery at this site – no other services.
“This news is extremely disappointing but we are committed to working with the CQC to take all actions needed to make the required improvements. Ultimately, we are all focused on giving patients the highest standards of care.
“No operations were booked in to the service over the next week and so the immediate impact on patients is thankfully minimal but nonetheless it will be a priority for us to gain clarity on next steps for both patients and our colleagues.
“We are already working with our NHS partners to ensure that our patients can be accommodated at alternative sites – that is of the utmost importance – and we will also be talking directly with those patients to ensure they are aware of what is happening and supported.
“We are also talking with those colleagues who are most immediately affected by this news and we will continue to do so as we seek to work through this together.
“We will also keep all of you informed as our discussions with the CQC and colleagues progress and we know more about how we can move forward.”
Healthwatch Brighton and Hove chair Geoffrey Bowden said: “Healthwatch is always concerned about anything that may damage confidence in local NHS services.
“Action to suspend the upper gastro-intestinal surgery service at the Royal Sussex County Hospital will not have been taken lightly by CQC inspectors.
“Healthwatch’s primary concern is that patients affected are supported by the trust while an alternative site for their surgery is arranged and that robust plans to address inspectors’ concerns that patients using the service could be exposed to the risk of unnecessary harm are put in place.
“Healthwatch will be on standby to support the trust implement measures to allow upper gastro-intestinal surgery to resume at the County Hospital site as soon as possible.”
