In summary, we found that people using the services at Bognor Regis War Memorial hospital were telling us that their needs were being met and they were supported to improve their communication and independence skills by a skilled and well-trained staff team. They told us that every effort is made by the staff to help them maintain their independence and regain confidence to help them live independently when returning home. People we spoke to said they thought the hospital was being well managed and systems were in place to ensure that their needs were being identified and addressed.

There were opportunities for people to express their views on how the service is run and they were given opportunities to express their preferences especially regarding choices in daily living and what food they ate. We talked to many people during our visit and some said that although they were not always aware of the formal complaints processes they did feel able to raise with staff any concerns that they had.

Patients told us that they felt secure and safe in the hospital, with kind and attentive staff. They told us that they were always treated with dignity and respect and did not know of anyone that had been badly treated. People we spoke to told us that staff never hurried them and although some had only been accommodated at Bognor Regis War Memorial hospital for a very short time they generally found the staff helpful, kind and with good sense of humour.

We saw many examples of thank you letters which had been received by staff from patients and relatives confirming that people who use this service felt supported by the staff to receive the care they need. People made particular reference to the efforts made by staff to help them maintain their mobility, independence and regain confidence to help them live independently when they are discharged. One person told us that the hospital had put him back on his feet both mentally and physically and said “I had thrown in the towel and these people made me walk and do things again and have given me a reason to go on”.