Excellent ratings

The hospital’s operator, Sussex Community NHS Trust, gained the top marks for the environment and privacy and dignity which patients received there. The ratings followed the recent annual patient environment action team assessment.

Jonathan Reid, the trust’s director of finance and estates, said: “Naturally, we are delighted with the outcome.

“Providing safe and effective care and a good patient experience is our top priority and a great deal of work has gone into making sure our environments meet the highest standards in cleanliness and patients are treated with the utmost dignity.”

Every in-patient healthcare facility in England with more than ten beds is assessed annually and rated excellent, good, acceptable, poor or unacceptable.

Facilities are checked for standards in food, environment and privacy and dignity.