New Eastbourne hospital plans to be reviewed by Labour - here's what we know so far

The chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has said residents were given ‘false hope’ over the former government’s new hospital programme.

Eastbourne was previously confirmed to be getting a new hospital as part of £3.7 billion NHS funding promised by the Conservatives.

Former Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell described the plans as a ‘once-in-a-generation investment in our healthcare’.

However, current Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde has now said the pledge was ‘not worth the paper it was written on’.

It comes as Labour plans to delay the hospital programme while the party’s review takes place.

In parliament this week, Ms Reeves said: “In October 2020, the Government announced that 40 new hospitals would be built by 2030. Since then, only one new project has opened to patients and only six have started their main construction activity.

"The National Audit Office were clear that delivery was wildly off track, but since coming into office, it has become clear that the previous government continued to maintain its commitment to 40 hospitals without anywhere close to the funding required to deliver them.

"That gave our constituents false hope.

"We need to be straight with the British people about what is deliverable and what is affordable, so we will conduct a complete review of the new hospital programme with a thorough, realistic and costed timetable for delivery.”

Mr Babarinde also confirmed he has ‘secured a commitment to meet the Health Secretary to secure the investment our hospital needs’.

It’s not yet known what repercussions Labour’s review could have on the current plans, but it raises further questions over the future of Eastbourne’s hospital.

Here’s a timeline of what’s happened so far:

October 2020: New hospital is announced for Eastbourne

The town is announced as one of 40 locations to get a new hospital.

It comes as part of a £3.7 billion NHS funding package announced by the Conservative government.

Former MP Caroline Ansell said: “This is absolutely the best news for our town and it will transform NHS services for our community for generations to come.”

May 2022: Liberal Democrat councillors call on the government to honour its commitment of a new hospital

Josh Babarinde said at the time: “Me and my Liberal Democrat team will hold the government and local Conservative politicians to account on this new hospital pledge and will not allow them to scapegoat anyone else if they fail to deliver on the promise that they made.”

Mrs Ansell responds: “The truth of it is that delivering building projects worth several hundred million pounds will take a number of years.

"Liberal Democrat councillors aren’t actually involved and are unaware of all the work being done by many good people both in Eastbourne and in Westminster to deliver this once-in-a-generation investment in health services for our town.”

July 2022: Question marks over the new hospital

Chief executive of the NHS Confederation, Matthew Taylor, said the majority of the new hospital builds were ‘upgrades’ and not entirely new facilities.

A source told the Herald that the suggestion of Eastbourne getting a new hospital was ‘a fairy tale’.

A spokesperson for the East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said a ‘range of options’, including new buildings and refurbishment, were under consideration.

Caroline Ansell said: “What is happening here is that several hundred million pounds will be invested in health care in Eastbourne - a huge sum that will make a huge difference to patients.

"Our hospital leaders will drive how this is best spent to achieve the very best outcomes for patients.”

February 2023: Rumours over DGH staff being told Eastbourne ‘would not get a hospital’

A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said ‘reports surfaced’ that Eastbourne District General Hospital (DGH) staff were told the town ‘would not get a hospital’.

An East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust spokesperson said these claims were ‘untrue’.

The spokesperson said: “The trust’s scheme is in cohort 4 of the New Hospital Programme and the programme has a target for all new hospitals to be built by 2030.”

May 2023: The BBC reports that work is still pending for a majority of the 40 promised hospitals

The article states: “Building work is yet to start for 33 of the government's 40 promised new hospitals in England, the BBC has found.

“Most are still waiting to hear what their final budget will be for the projects with a 2030 deadline. Only two are finished and open.”

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said: “We remain committed to delivering all 40 new hospitals by 2030 as part of the biggest hospital building programme in a generation backed by £3.7 billion for the first four years.”

February 2024: Caroline Ansell reaffirms 2023 deadline

Mrs Ansell said: “Eastbourne's new hospital is expected to be completed around the end of the decade, but we already have spades in the ground at the £34m Elective Care Hub that will allow more operations on site.”

July 2024: Labour announces ‘complete review’ into hospital build programme

Rachel Reeves said: "We need to be straight with the British people about what is deliverable and what is affordable, so we will conduct a complete review of the new hospital programme with a thorough, realistic and costed timetable for delivery.”