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STATEMENT FROM “HANDS OFF THE CONQUEST” CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
Following various misleading statements over the last week claiming that the Conquest Hospital seems to be saved from cuts and downgrading, we the campaign committee would point out that this is still far from being the case since:-
a) No decisions have been announced by the PCT, and are not expected until the end of February/beginning of March.
b) No Public Consultation has yet taken place.
c) The question mark over both sites having 24 hour Emergency Surgery gives rise to the fact that whichever Hospital loses out, that Hospital is still in danger of losing it’s A & E Department, in the foreseeable future. An A & E Department without full twenty four hour emergency surgery available is vulnerable to becoming non viable in the worst case scenario.
d) The fact that it is still proposed that there will only be one Consultant led Maternity Unit (the other being Midwife Led) is still a major threat to the lives and welfare of mothers and babies in both areas resulting in women in labour having to travel long distances over very poor road networks regardless of any complications they may have.
e) The question of Children’s Services has not been mentioned by the PCT, however the Hospital Trust is considering reducing the number of beds at both the Eastbourne DGH and the Conquest Hospital through the Spring, Summer and Autumn. Inevitably this will necessitate occasions when children will have to travel out of the district to find a bed with the consequential problems for family visiting, etc. We also fear that this is the first step in either Hastings or Eastbourne losing their Paediatric Unit completely.
For all the reasons listed above it is imperative that the fight for emergency core services must continue until we have written assurances that they are safe.
Signed Margaret Williams on behalf of Campaign Committee in conjunction with
Liz Walke from the Save the DGH Campaign (Eastbourne)
Friends Office
Conquest Hospital
The Ridge
St. Leonards on Sea
East Sussex TN37 7RD
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