We visited the medical ward at Rye Hospital which could accommodate 19 patients. On the day we visited there were 16 in-patients who had a mix of intermediate and continuing care needs. A small proportion of which were private patients.

We spoke with three relatives during our inspection. They were complimentary of staff attitudes and competency. They commented positively about the atmosphere of the medical ward which they found welcoming. We spoke with six of the in-patients in depth. They told us that they were very happy with the way in which care was delivered to them. Comments included “it’s very good here,” “staff are lovely,” “if there is a problem staff deal with it.” They said staff were mindful of their privacy and dignity, and responsive to any changes in their care needs. This was evidenced in patient records viewed. Patients expressed confidence in staff competencies and felt that they "knew what they were doing."

When we spoke with staff they told us that they had access to a range of training. They said their practice was monitored through supervision and personal development reviews. This was confirmed by records viewed, although we found formal recorded staff supervision was infrequent. Staff told us that they felt well informed and attended regular staff meetings and we saw minutes from these.

There was an appropriate range of audits in place to monitor all aspects of service quality.