Josh Babarinde MP: 2025 must be the year of our DGH

Having experienced first-hand the incredible care that DGH provides, I know just how important it is to have vital NHS services right here on our doorstep.

That’s why I fought hard to secure the return of birthing services at the DGH last year, after they were closed for 9 months. Through meetings with hospital bosses, public meetings, Freedom of Information requests and more, we - as a community - left no stone unturned in that fight.

The same is true of our paediatrics campaign last year, where I was not prepared to see the concerns of clinicians ignored when it came to the closure of our short stay unit.

I will keep campaigning for core services to be restored at our DGH alongside our Hospital Champion Liz Walke, though, because our community deserves no less.

Of huge concern to me, too, is the physical state of some of our ageing hospital buildings. A recent report but DGH bosses at East Sussex Health Trust (ESHT) report stated that: “the age and standard of current hospital buildings presents challenges for the consistent delivery of safe, effective, responsive, and efficient care.”

This is not good enough. In October 2020, the previous Conservative government promised Eastbourne, a brand new hospital; however, it’s now 2025, there’s still no sign of it whatsoever.

After years of dithering under the Conservatives, I got straight to work to get some answers and action. In July, I used my first-ever question in the Commons Chamber to urge the Chancellor to unlock funding for our DGH and have met with the Health Secretary to do the same.

I’m pleased to say that our campaigning has been successful and that the DGH will still benefit from funding to upgrade its facilities. I’m now pushing the Government to confirm exactly how much and when our DGH will get this cash because we need it without delay. I will keep you updated.

At the end of the month, I’m meeting with the new Acting CEO of our hospital trust, Steve Aumayer, to turbocharge our partnership and advocate for our hospital together.

We’ve got to make 2025 the year of our DGH.