AUDIO: NHS mental health service seeks patient views in Sussex for the Community Mental Health survey

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is carrying out a survey to find out what service users think about the care they received when using community mental health services in Sussex.

People who use mental health services in the community across Sussex are being asked their views on the service.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is conducting a fact-finding mission to improve service delivery and will send the survey to selected service users.

The Trust plans to use this feedback to improve experiences, and highlight areas where they perform well and to identify the areas where they need to improve.

Service users who have recently used community mental health services may receive a questionnaire by post from 19 August, and text message reminders, asking about their experiences. They will be asked about various aspects of their care, including, the quality of care and treatment, communication with staff, and information about their care.

Results from the survey will be used to improve the quality of care and people’s mental health care experiences. 

The 2023 Community Mental Health Survey results helped the NHS identify areas where there was most room for improvement, and as a result, the Trust has: 

• Clearer information and signposting on their website and social media channels for people who need to access crisis care support
• Introduced walk-in services for people experiencing a mental health crisis
• Introduced medication discussions with patients, including 12-month review and medication benefits, side-effects and what would happen if patients stop taking medication
• Created more opportunities for patients and carers to share their experiences of our services in different ways, such as via a text message facility.

Dr Jane Padmore, Chief Executive at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said:

"Receiving feedback from patients and taking account of their views is really important to us. It helps us understand and learn from people's experience of the care we provide, it highlights what we are doing well, and where we need to make changes to ensure quality of care.

"I would like to encourage anyone who is asked to take part in the Community Mental Health Survey to be open and honest and tell us about their experience of using our services. This will help us to promote examples of good practice, keep doing the things that we're doing well, and make improvements where we need to."

People’s responses are confidential and the results of the survey will be presented in a form that does not allow any individual’s answers to be identified. The results will be published in Spring 2025.

V2 News Editor Philip Keeler spoke at length with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust's Chief Medical Officer, Peter Aitken, about the survey and mental health services. 

More about the survey here - Community Mental Health Survey :: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

If you need to get help with your mental health click here - Getting help with your mental health :: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust