Hospital workers are being encouraged to keep the noise down so patients can enjoy a good night's sleep.

The Shshshsh, it's night time campaign is being launched on wards at hospitals in Brighton and Haywards Heath.

It follows feedback from patient surveys which highlighted concerns raised by people about being kept awake at night.

Comments included noise in the corridors from trolleys and wheelchairs and noisy hand driers in the toilets.

There were also concerns about bleeps going off, doors banging and waste bins clanging shut.

In a message to staff, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust chief nurse Sherree Fagge (crct) said: “One pledge we want to introduce across the whole trust involves trying to reduce the noise on inpatient areas at night.

“We want all staff who work at night to play their part in keeping the noise at night down.

“This campaign comes as a result of feedback we received through Patients' Voice.

“Over the last 14 months, noise at night has been mentioned 59 times, so this is something we really do need to focus on improving.

“Are the bins in your ward or department soft closing? Do you always wear soft sole shoes? Are doors to areas where people talk kept closed?

“Some noise cannot be helped but it only takes a few minor adjustments to ensure that it is kept to a minimum.”

The trust runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital and the Sussex Eye Hospital in Brighton and Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath among others.

A similar campaign introduced by Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust last year led to a marked improvement on the wards for patients at Worthing Hospital and St Richard's Hospital in Chichester.

The trust said a patient survey reported that 64% of inpatients said they were able to sleep without noticing any noise, compared to fewer than 50% when the trust's survey first started in early 2012.