NHS leaders say ‘no cause for concern’ for public as major training exercises to take place at East Sussex hospitals
NHS Healthcare leaders have assured the public there is ‘no cause for concern’ as actors are set to take place in major training exercises at East Sussex hospitals.
The NHS across Sussex is set to lead on 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, will test 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.
“Health and care leaders are assuring local people that patient care will not be affected. Both Eastbourne District General Hospital and Lewes Victoria Hospital will continue to operate as normal, with no disruption or delays to services. All normal healthcare services will remain fully operational, and there is no need for the public to alter their plans for accessing care.
“Members of the public may notice individuals at the hospitals who appear seriously unwell; these are actors participating in the exercise, and there is no cause for concern.
“Those with any concerns during the exercise are encouraged to speak with hospital staff, who will be available to provide further information and reassurance.”
James Ramsay, Chief Medical Officer at NHS Sussex said: “We want to reassure residents that this is a planned training activity and not a live incident.
“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.”
Those with any concerns during the exercise are encouraged to speak with hospital staff, who will be available to provide further information and reassurance. All normal healthcare services will remain fully operational, and there is no need for the public to alter their plans for accessing care.
Charlotte O’Brien, Chief Operating Officer at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “Making sure that our staff are trained and ready to respond to the most challenging of situations is an important part of what we do.
“While we hope that we will never need to respond to this sort of event occurring in East Sussex, we take the safety of our communities very seriously – and we’re looking forward to testing responsiveness in this exercise alongside our partners”.
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.”