Friday night - NHS breaking news

THE local NHS trust which finances hospital treatment in Eastbourne has finally made a public admission that maternity, paediatric and gynaecology services at the DGH look set to be stripped down.

Mothers who have complications during labour will have to travel to Hastings, as will mums who want the reassurance of an obstetrician on hand.

The Herald understands it is likely that the Special Care Baby Unit at the DGH will be closed and the unit at the Conquest Hospital will be extended.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

One neo-natal nurse told us, "It no longer seems like a matter of whether it will happen, but more like when it will happen.

"We just want the managers to tell us when and we can get on with our lives."

However, it seems likely both the DGH and the Conquest will keep their A&E departments, although people at a public meeting this week heard that there would be 'changes', and that it was expected that night-time emergency surgery will only take place at one hospital.

On Tuesday, the chief executive of East Sussex Downs and Weald Primary Care Trust, which pays for all medical services in the area, outlined likely changes at the meeting in the Gold Room at the Winter Garden.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Nick Yeo said, "We are half way through a lot of work looking at children's and maternity services.

"One of the most important things is for mothers to have a choice and have children the way they wish, but if they have problems we have services available for them."

However, those services seem likely to be available only in either Hastings or Brighton.

Mr Yeo said the majority of births did not need medical intervention.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He estimated that the two hospitals delivered around 2,000 babies each year '“ and two-thirds of those did not need the assistance of an obstetrics consultant.

But Trish Mayo, lead sister at the labour ward at the DGH, said she already had trouble finding beds for premature babies.

She said, "I already have to spend hours phoning around hospitals to try to find a bed.

"We transfer people as far as Oxford and Swindon and it's going to get worse."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A DGH neo-natal nurse, who did not wish to named, said, "The Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) was built for 12 cots, but to save money it was cut back to nine, then cut to seven. How many more cuts will there be?"

On the future of Accident and Emergency at the DGH, Mr Yeo said, "The PCT and the hospitals trust (East Sussex Hospitals Trust) support strong and vibrant hospitals in both Eastbourne and Hastings which will continue to deliver local and emergency services.

"The first thing I saw when I came to this area was the protest marches in both towns, but it is not in our interests to see more people having to go outside East Sussex when we already have the infra-structure to provide these services.

"But this doesn't mean there won't be changes. We have to make the best use of our resources."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Yeo said the changes would not just be to save money, but would make the most efficient use of staff, equipment and the hospital buildings.

He said he understood that most people wanted the A&E departments to stay at both hospitals, and it was not "necessary or desirable" to close or downgrade these facilities.

Dr Ken Ross, an orthopaedic surgeon at the DGH, questioned whether reduced services could provide adequate resuscitation for babies in dire emergencies.

He said, "My first grandchild was born recently and within an hour was blue. Fortunately the child was able to be resuscitated at the DGH.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"But what if that child had been taken to the Conquest? The evidence is that that baby would not have survived the long journey to Hastings.

"If only one hospital has a SCBU, what would the resuscitation levels be like?"

He expressed concern that the European Working Hours directive, which restricts doctors to 48 hours per week, is likely to mean A&E will run a service increasingly supported by junior doctors.

"I would want reassurances there would be adequate resus cover at the hospital."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Yeo promised to respond in writing to this question and a number of others raised by the members of public and health professionals at the meeting.

The PCT has said it will now begin to discuss the issues surrounding the potential changes to services at the DGH and a formal consultation process will take place in March.