Tamara Davis
15 Oct 2024 · Coroner Joanne Andrews · West Sussex, Brighton and Hove
This report repeats 1 earlier warning, and was raised again 2 times later. See the linked reports.
The coroner's concerns
1. patients treated in ED corridor
“when the Emergency Department of the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton reached capacity patients would be moved to and treated in the corridor as there was no clinical area available to do so”
2. use of ED corridors for patient care
“use of corridors to care for patients is not only an issue at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton but is used throughout the country when the capacities of Emergency Departments has been reached and there is nowhere to move patients to”
3. lack of privacy and confidentiality for patients
“patients lacked privacy, toilet facilities and confidentiality”
Linked reports
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
Earlier report
“As a result of the lack of appropriate space Mr [name redacted] an elderly and vulnerable patient was treated in the corridor for periods during his stay in the ED.”
This report
“when the Emergency Department of the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton reached capacity patients would be moved to and treated in the corridor as there was no clinical area available to do so”
Identical hazardConfidence 0.96 · high
This report
“privacy, toilet facilities and confidentiality. I understood from the evidence of the clinicians that they were concerned that patients were being moved into the Corridor but there appeared to be no other option when the Emergency Department exceeds capacity.”
Later report
“During the inquest I heard evidence from clinicians at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust that when the Emergency Department of the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton reached capacity patients would be moved to and treated in the corridor as there was no clinical area available to do so.”
Identical hazardConfidence 0.95 · high
This report
“when the Emergency Department of the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton reached capacity patients would be moved to and treated in the corridor as there was no clinical area available to do so”
Later report
“there were around 20 patients in the corridor as the Department had reached capacity and there was no clinical area available to do so”
Responses
2024-0553-Response-from-DHSC.pdf ↗· Department of Health and Social Care
Stated action
“The report raises concerns over emergency department capacity, poor patient flow and the use of corridor care at Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH) and nationally. I understand that your report and matters of concerns have also been sent to NHS England, and they are best placed to respond with the specific actions being taken locally to improve urgent and emergency care performance at RSCH.”
2024-0553-Response-from-NHS-England.pdf ↗· NHS England
Stated action
“NHS England is working through the operating model so that NHS England's Regions can support providers to eliminate crowding in Emergency Departments in the longer term.”
2024-0553-Response-from-University-Hospitals-Sussex.pdf ↗· University Sussex NHS Foundation Trust