DAVID TUTT, LEADER OF EBC: Please take time to look at cardiology consultation

Heart and circulatory diseases account for a quarter of all the deaths in the UK and the British Heart Foundation estimate that more than half of us will get a heart or circulatory condition in our lifetime.
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Therefore, the provision of cardiology services will play an important part in most of our lives.

The NHS East Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group and East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust are currently considering making changes to these services locally.

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To inform the way forward, they are conducting a public consultation exercise which runs until March 11.

This consultation considers two options, namely:

1/ Co-locate all catheterisation laboratories and specialist cardiology inpatient services at Eastbourne DGH, with acute outpatient and diagnostic services at both Eastbourne DGH and Conquest Hospital, Hastings; alongside establishment of Cardiac Response Team in the emergency department and hot clinics providing rapid assessment at both acute sites

2/ Co-locate all catheterisation laboratories and specialist cardiology inpatient services at Conquest Hospital, Hastings with acute outpatients and diagnostic services remaining at both Eastbourne DGH and Conquest Hospital, Hastings; alongside establishment of Cardiac Response Team in the emergency department and hot clinics providing rapid assessment at both our acute hospital sites.

My personal belief is that given the importance of cardiology services they should continue to be provided in full in both Eastbourne and Hastings.

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Certainly, thinking of Eastbourne and understanding the high number of elderly people in the town, removing any part of this service makes no sense to me, particularly at a time when the Government has promised us a new hospital.

Whilst you may not personally need these services now, there is a strong likelihood that you or your loved ones will in the future.

If you want to ensure that they remain available in Eastbourne, please take the time to respond to this consultation.

You can obtain a copy of the consultation paper by phoning 0300 131 4691 and then either complete a paper-based response and post it back in a pre-paid envelope or respond online here.

Thank you.

Stay safe!