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ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
Fight for your local hospital today. All services are at risk...
Our Campaign is fighting for both Hastings (Conquest Hospital) and Eastbourne (DGH) hospitals. Considering both towns and their districts, growing populations, deprivation, and poor road infrastructure, at the very minimum the local NHS should provide the following for their respective populations on both hospital sites:-
- Consultant led Obstetrics 24/7
- In-patient Paediatric beds 24/7
- Acute Medical admissions 24/7
- Acute Surgical admissions 24/7
- Acute Psychiatric admissions / crisis intervention teams 24/7
- Accident & Emergency / Trauma 24/7
Hastings Conquest & Eastbourne DGH
With the upcoming decisions looking like a choice between scaling back facilities at either the Conquest or Eastbourne DGH, we are working closely with the Save The DGH team to safeguard BOTH hospitals. We do not believe it in the interests of either hospital of population for these cutbacks to be made.
The Latest News from Arrow FM
Visit the web site of our friends over at Arrow FM for the latest news, views and pictures from the Campaign. Thanks to everyone at the station for their support.
The National Network
With so many A&E and maternity departments currently under threat - though not for financial reasons we are told - the various campaigns across the country have been joining forces to prevent the destruction of key facilities throughout the NHS. Hands Off The Conquest is proud to be fighting alongside these campaigns to ensure a health service that can serve the needs of the people wherever they may be.
Now Begins Part 3...
A petition of over 40,000 names was presented to Prime Minster Tony Blair on Wednesday 18th October in support of the Campaign. Does this mean the Campaign ends here? Definitely not!
The Campaign goes on, and every signature adds to the strength of the Campaign! So please continue to support the Campaign, to the end of the year and into 2007.
What the Press has to say:
Want an independent view of the situation regarding the future of the Conquest? Then be certain to check out an excellent piece entitled Trouble at the Conquest that saw print in the Bexhill Observer in July. Click here to read the article.
And Now For Part 2...
The 20,000+ names already received are being presented to Parliament by local MP Michael Foster. But the Campaign does not end here!
Whilst this is a huge number, we want more. Every name helps, and the sooner you can sign up the better. Sign on-line here by clicking on The Petition button to the left; sign it in your local shops; download and print a petition from the Downloads section and circulate it around your friends and family.
We know the powers that be are taking notice of the campaign - let’s make sure we keep the pressure on in order to keep their Hands off The Conquest!
Did you hear the one about..?
There are a lot of ideas and rumours circulating as to what might happen with regards to the status of the Conquest. The latest idea being circulated is that Hastings and Eastbourne would alternately offer A&E facilities, so which hospital you were taken to in case of an emergency would depend on the day of the weekend rather then the proximity of the hospital.
People are justifiably nervous about what might happen to the facilities amidst all the rumours, but despite pressure from Michael Foster MP there are no answers forthcoming.
The Strategic Health Authority does make the following claim on their web site: when someone needs to use health and social care services they should find them person-centred, inclusive, timely and accessible.
The Strategic Health Authority are responsible for the decisions that will be made. Ensure they make the right ones by writing to them - their details are on the Join The Campaign page.
Michael Foster, MP for Hastings & Rye, has the following to say:
“The first of our concerns (or second or third depending how we use it) relates to a proposal by the Strategic Health Authority for what they call ‘creating an NHS fit for the future’. It has the subheading ‘first steps for improving services in Surrey and Sussex’. The paper is described as the consultation but states that ‘provision of emergency and elective care needs to change’. I do not take the luddite view that nothing needs to change, but I do believe that the SHA are starting from the wrong premise.
“In short, the proposals are that in the future from I think 2009 acute services in particular should be delivered at four possible venues, with super specialist hospitals at one end and at local health centres at the other. Quite right. There would then be two intermediate forms of general hospital: One dealing in major trauma and accident and emergency, and another sort being a subservient role which in our case has been described by local media as the ‘cottage hospital’ option.
“The SHA proposes that generally populations of around 400,000 would be needed to support major acute accident and emergency centres.
“In terms of the local delivery of my own constituency the East Sussex Hospital NHS Trust is responsible for two general hospitals, namely the Conquest in Hastings and Eastbourne District General in Eastbourne. Both provide excellent accident and emergency provision which the public wish to retain. Indeed, I would put it further it is not subject to negotiation.
“But, of course, the SHA have not proposed the closure of either service but pre-emptive strikes are sometimes appropriate, and prevention is always better then cure.
“The problem is that the SHA are suggesting that there major A&Es should operate across populations of around 400,000 which leads both the residents of Hastings and I believe Eastbourne to “read between the lines”. What they read is that at least one of these centres will be downgraded.
“Of course, at the moment both communities worry it will be theirs. Both in Hastings and in Eastbourne local headlines refer to the downgrading to ‘cottage hospital status’. Of course I took the view that was a nonsense so asked the SHA for confirmation that whatever the changes proposed we were not talking about ‘cottage hospitals’. Imagine my surprise when I was told that open consultation meant that nothing could be discounted.”
To be incorporated in the parliamentary speech, 12th May 2006
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