Emergency training exercise takes place at Eastbourne District General Hospital

The NHS across Sussex led a major training exercise on September 18 an 19 at Eastbourne District General Hospital (EDGH) and the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) at Lewes Victoria Hospital.

The exercise, involving multiple organisations, tested emergency response plans in the event of a hazardous materials incident such as a chemical, biological, or radiological release.

An NHS spokesperson said: “The drill is to make sure that health and care partners including NHS Sussex, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, South East Coast Ambulance Service, East Sussex County Council, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, and Sussex Police, are fully prepared for public health emergencies.”

James Ramsay, Chief Medical Officer at NHS Sussex added: “These exercises are vital to ensure that our emergency plans are robust and that we are prepared for any potential major incident that could affect our communities.

“We want to reassure everyone that patient care will not be disrupted, and our hospitals will continue to operate as usual.

“Exercises like this are an important part of our work to keep the public safe, and we appreciate everyone’s understanding and cooperation.”

Lloyd Barker (Deputy Chief Operating Officer) at Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust said: “This exercise is a good opportunity for our teams to ensure that our emergency plans are vigorously tested. We would like to reassure patients that our services will remain available for those who need them whilst we complete the exercise.”