- NHS hospital
Southend University Hospital
Report from 21 February 2025 assessment
Contents
Ratings - Services for children & young people
Our view of the service
On the 27th of November 2024 we carried out a comprehensive assessment of Children and Young People services at Southend Hospital. This was a responsive assessment in relation to ongoing concerns over the safety of children and young people receiving care at Southend hospital. During our assessment we spoke to staff, children, young people and their families using the service. People we spoke to said staff did their best in a busy service to provide care. People were provided with information and children and young people had support tailored to their needs.
Staff did not always have effective support and skills to deliver safe care. Demands on the service were high, and leaders did not always take timely action to mitigate risk to children and young people using the service. The service was kept safer by the goodwill of staff, often having no breaks and working late. There was a positive supportive culture locally, but staff said the senior trust leadership did not engage and were not visible. Staff did not always feel part of the trust.
As part of our assessment, we requested additional data and information. Some evidence was not provided or available. Due to information gaps in the services, we were not assured leaders had good oversight of care delivery and risk management.
Following our assessment the concerns raised demonstrate a breach of Regulation 12 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and Regulation 17 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. We served a Section 29A Warning Notice for Regulation 17 outlining the breaches which required the service to take action to address.
People's experience of this service
Children, young people and their families said staff treated them with warmth and kindness whilst providing care and treatment. They said they had seen promptly and were at hand if they needed them. Families told us staff were supportive of them and their children. They were involved in discussion about care and were able to raise concerns and were informed about their child’s care. They were signposted to give feedback of care. The environment was visibly clean, very child friendly and suitable to meet individual’s needs. Healthwatch said they had good links into Southend hospital and had regular communication.