NHS Trusts in Brighton and Hove: SCFT, SPFT and Healthwatch

Posted on July 14, 2025

The NHS in Brighton and Hove, integrated within the Sussex Health and Care Integrated Care System (ICS), is poised for significant transformation as it addresses evolving healthcare needs. This blog explores the future plans of the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT), Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT), the roles of Public Governors, and the shifting landscape of Healthwatch Brighton and Hove, with a focus on strategic priorities, community engagement, and challenges as of July 2025.

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT): Building a Patient-Centered Future

SCFT, the cornerstone of community health services in Brighton and Hove, is shaping its 2025/26 strategy to prioritize patient-centered care, digital innovation, and sustainable infrastructure. With an annual budget of £185 million, SCFT delivers critical services like specialist nursing, paediatric physiotherapy, and community-based urgent care to reduce hospital admissions.

• Strategic Priorities: SCFT’s 2025/26 plan emphasizes improving outcomes for adults, children, and families through services like diabetes management and the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Screening Programme. The trust aims to enhance digital services, building on post-COVID-19 advancements in telehealth Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, 2025.
• Infrastructure and Sustainability: Following the 2023 closure of Zachary Merton Hospital due to safety concerns, SCFT is focusing on modernizing its estate. Its partnership with Capita, established in 2013, continues to drive cost savings and support foundation trust status Wikipedia, 2025.
• Workforce and Leadership: SCFT remains committed to its ‘Living Wage Employer’ status, ensuring a minimum wage of £7.45 per hour. With Chief Nurse Donna Lamb’s retirement in December 2024, the trust is recruiting new leadership to maintain clinical excellence Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, 2025.
• Membership Engagement (2023–2026): SCFT’s strategy aims to boost local accountability through governor-led engagement events, increased public interaction with the Trust Board, and collaboration with the Sussex ICS to enhance community involvement Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust Membership Strategy, 2023–2026.

Challenges: SCFT must address infrastructure safety issues and financial pressures while maintaining service quality, particularly in the face of rising demand.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT): A Vision for 2025–2030

SPFT, providing mental health, learning disability, and neurodevelopmental services across Brighton and Hove, is developing its 2025–2030 strategy to deliver integrated, sustainable care. Operating from facilities like the East Brighton Community Mental Health Centre and Hove Polyclinic, SPFT is a key player in the Sussex ICS.

• Strategic Development: SPFT is collaborating with staff, service users, and partners to shape its five-year strategy, focusing on community mental health, crisis support, and early intervention. Initiatives like the Sussex Recovery College and Pathfinder services will expand to provide holistic care Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, 2025.
• Sustainability: SPFT’s Green Plan targets net-zero carbon emissions through energy-efficient practices, aligning with NHS-wide environmental goals SPFT Green Plan, 2025.
• Research and Innovation: As a University Hospital trust, SPFT will advance research in cultural psychiatry and mental health disparities, enhancing its teaching capabilities Wikipedia, 2025.
• Service Expansion: Plans include increasing access to drop-in clinics for young people and suicide awareness campaigns, while addressing past risk management criticisms to improve patient safety Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, 2025.

Challenges: SPFT faces hurdles in integrating some services into the new Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, formed in October 2024, and managing increased demand for mental health support NHS England, 2024.

The Role of Public Governors: Strengthening Community Voices

Public Governors at SCFT and SPFT are vital for ensuring local accountability and representing community needs in strategic decision-making.

• SCFT Governors: Governors will lead engagement events across constituencies, increase public access to the Trust Board, and collaborate with the Sussex ICS to shape service changes. By 2026, SCFT aims to embed a robust membership engagement model, enhancing feedback mechanisms Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust Membership Strategy, 2023–2026.
• SPFT Governors: Governors will play a key role in SPFT’s 2025–2030 strategy, advocating for marginalized groups (e.g., LGBT communities, people with autism) and supporting co-production of services. Governors with lived experience, such as those trained as Experts by Experience, will enhance advocacy, particularly for carers SPFT Governor Profiles, 2025.

Future Outlook: Both trusts aim to empower governors to drive community engagement, but challenges include ensuring diverse representation and managing resource constraints amidst service integration.

Healthwatch Brighton and Hove: A Shifting Landscape

Healthwatch Brighton and Hove has been a critical independent voice for patients, influencing services through studies on A&E waits, cancer care, and end-of-life services. However, significant changes are underway:

• Planned Closure: In July 2025, Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced the transfer of Healthwatch England’s functions to the Department of Health and Social Care, with local Healthwatch roles, including Brighton and Hove, moving to ICBs and local authorities by 2026. This will dissolve Healthwatch Brighton and Hove as a standalone entity The Brighton & Hove Wrap, 2025.
• Integration into ICS: The NHS Sussex ICB will absorb Healthwatch’s functions, leveraging forums like the Sussex Health and Care Assembly and patient participation groups to maintain community engagement. Healthwatch East Sussex will continue to support Brighton and Hove, focusing on mental health and integrated care East Sussex Health and Care Partnership, 2025.
• Impact: The closure risks reducing independent advocacy, but the ICB aims to strengthen engagement through existing structures, ensuring patient voices shape services NHS Sussex, 2025.

Challenges: The transition requires careful planning to replicate Healthwatch’s advocacy role, particularly amidst pressures like workforce shortages and financial deficits.

NHS Sussex ICB: Shaping the Broader Context

The NHS Sussex ICB, overseeing health service planning, is driving a 10-Year Health Plan focusing on prevention, technology (e.g., AI, genomics), and integrated care. This influences SCFT and SPFT’s strategies, with initiatives like the ‘Home First’ approach promoting domiciliary care to reduce hospital admissions NHS Sussex, 2025. The ICB’s leadership, including interim CEO Mark Cubbon, is prioritizing workforce transformation and community engagement post-Healthwatch NHS Sussex, 2025.

Conclusion: A Path Forward

SCFT and SPFT are charting ambitious paths for 2025 and beyond, focusing on patient-centered care, sustainability, and community engagement. Public Governors will be instrumental in ensuring local accountability, while the closure of Healthwatch Brighton and Hove poses challenges to maintaining an independent patient voice. The Sussex ICS’s integration efforts aim to bridge this gap, but sustained investment and strategic leadership are crucial to overcome workforce shortages, financial pressures, and service integration challenges. As Brighton and Hove’s NHS evolves, community involvement will remain key to shaping a healthier future.

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References:

1. Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. (2025). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/.
2. Wikipedia. (2025). Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sussex_Community_NHS_Foundation_Trust.
3. Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. (2025). Our Services. Retrieved from https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/.
4. Wikipedia. (2025). Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sussex_Partnership_NHS_Foundation_Trust.
5. The Brighton & Hove Wrap. (2025). Friday 4th July 2025. Retrieved from https://thebrightonandhovewrap.substack.com/p/the-brighton-and-hove-wrap-4th-july.
6. NHS Sussex. (2025). Who We Are. Retrieved from https://www.sussex.ics.nhs.uk/about-sussex-health-and-care/who-we-are/.
7. NHS Sussex. (2025). 10-Year Health Plan. Retrieved from https://www.sussex.ics.nhs.uk/our-work/10-year-health-plan/.
8. East Sussex Health and Care Partnership. (2025). Community Engagement. Retrieved from https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/healthandcarepartnership.
9. SPFT Green Plan. (2025). Sustainability Initiatives. Retrieved from https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/about-us/green-plan.
10. Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust Membership Strategy. (2023–2026). Membership Engagement Plan. Retrieved from https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/about-us/membership.
11. SPFT Governor Profiles. (2025). Council of Governors. Retrieved from https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/about-us/governors.
12. NHS England. (2024). Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare Formation. Retrieved from https://www.england.nhs.uk/south-east/our-work/hampshire-isle-wight-healthcare-formation/.