Mark Norman

An independent review of the general surgery department at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust found that a significant proportion of staff had experienced bullying, harassment or discrimination, with women, non-consultant medical staff and ethnic minority employees among those most affected. Staff reported normalized harmful behavior, compromised psychological safety, barriers to training, deteriorating wellbeing and concerns that fear of repercussions could affect clinical decisions and patient care. Former employees described the culture as unsustainable and leadership as unsafe. The trust’s chief medical officer, Simon Merritt, acknowledged serious problems, rejected bullying, racism and sexism, and said investigations and support measures were being implemented.

Two donated scalp-cooling machines at East Surrey Hospital and Crawley Hospital have doubled capacity for chemotherapy patients in the South East. The equipment, funded by an anonymous £22,000 donation to the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Charity’s cancer fund, cools the scalp during chemotherapy to reduce hair loss. Patients and NHS staff say the treatment can help preserve identity, confidence and body image, while annual usage is about 620 treatments at East Surrey and 300 at Crawley.

An NHS England review found that clinicians and managers had known about problems with the ENT service at Darent Valley Hospital since 2020, but concerns were not properly escalated or addressed. A total of 8,849 patients were found to be missing from the waiting list, with some waiting up to five years and 88 experiencing low-level harm. Reduced clinic capacity and a focus on urgent cancer referrals contributed to the backlog. Medway NHS Foundation Trust said all affected patients had been seen, treated and discharged by the end of May, while Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust apologised and committed to strengthening its reporting systems. The review called for a wider examination of ENT services across Kent and Medway.

Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford continues to provide bottled water to patients three months after a water‑supply contamination issue prompted a critical incident. The Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust reports that a leaking boiler caused the contamination and that most outlets in the affected west block have been cleared for washing and showering, though drinking water remains restricted pending further microbiological testing. Remedial work and testing continue as areas are gradually returned to normal use, with patient safety remaining the stated priority.

A Kent hospital trust faces warnings over unsafe staffing levels in its operating theatres after NHS organisations in Kent and Medway reduced pay for bank shifts. Staff at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital report falling uptake of extra shifts, leading to shortages and concerns about patient safety, with some employees considering strike action. Nursing unions warn that the cuts undermine morale and risk longer waiting times or cancelled operations. Trust leadership maintains that staffing meets national guidelines and says the unified pay rates ensure fairness across the region.

Hundreds of nursing and midwifery staff at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust have begun an unofficial boycott after NHS organisations in Kent and Medway reduced pay rates for bank shifts. Staff describe feeling undervalued and warn the cuts will worsen understaffing and impact patient safety. The Royal College of Nursing has lodged a collective grievance, while the trust says the new countywide rates will ensure consistency and that staffing levels are being monitored.

A Kent hospital has become the first NHS trust to deploy the MEMORI AI tool to help detect patient infections early by analysing clinical data. Developed jointly with UK health technology firm Sanome, the system provides risk scores that help staff act before symptoms worsen, reducing workload and allowing more time for patient care. Clinicians involved in its development say it improves workflow without replacing staff and aligns with NHS plans to expand digital and AI use. Its adoption has seen strong uptake among clinicians and is expected to support broader applications in the future.

A Kent hospital has become the first in the UK to deploy MEMORI, an AI system that analyses routine clinical data to identify infection risks early. Developed with staff input through a partnership between East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust and health‑tech firm Sanome, the tool aims to improve patient outcomes and free clinicians from administrative demands. Hospital leaders expect wider applications for the technology and report strong daily adoption among clinicians, with supporters emphasising its role in enhancing rather than replacing staff.

A West Sussex couple whose baby died 14 days after birth say they have been left devastated and are calling for a public inquiry into maternity failures highlighted in Baroness Amos’ review. The review found inconsistent and unsafe care across 12 NHS trusts, including University Hospitals Sussex, where the couple’s son was born. Hospital leadership acknowledged care had fallen below expected standards and pledged improvements, while ongoing calls for a statutory inquiry remain disputed. An independent review led by Donna Ockenden is set to examine over 1,000 cases in Sussex.