Brighton and Hove hospital patients to be given more information

Patients are to be given more information about how many nurses are on duty in hospital wards in Brighton and Hove and who is in charge.

The initiative is part of a national drive, known as Hard Truths, in response to the scandal in Mid Staffordshire. It is being introduced in NHS hospitals across the country, including those serving Brighton and Hove.

The information, including nurse to patient ratios, will be shown on posters in each ward along with the details of the person responsible for the ward.

At the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, extra information will be given showing, for example, how many healthcare assistants and occupational therapists are also working on the ward.

Finance director Spencer Prosser told the hospital trust board that the staffing ratio may otherwise look worse than in it is yet care may be perfectly ok.

Chief nurse Sherree Fagge said: “Members of the public want to know who’s in charge.”

Chief executive Matthew Kershaw said that the trust had made demonstrable improvements to nursing numbers in recent months.

Mr Kershaw added that it was a challenge but that it was important to make more progress.