ONE OBSTETRICS UNIT WILL FACE AXE IN AUGUST

MP Nigel Waterson has called for the resignation of health bosses unless the decision is reversed immediately.

Health bosses have not yet decided which town will lose out, but said not enough babies are being born to justify keeping both units '” which deal with complicated pregnancies '” open.

The health Trust is also facing a 3.9 million deficit and Dr David Scott, medical director, said 'radical and unpalatable decisions' would have to be made.

He confirmed the Trust had been considering basing the paediatrics ward on a single site at night time from December 1 (Eastbourne) and basing the maternity and SCBU at a single site from January 1 (Hastings).

"It's something that we were looking at earlier in the week but we have no definite plans to do that.

"It is one of a range of options that we were looking at.

"We have been given a huge deficit to recover. It's still a possibility."

Mr Waterson slammed the obstetrics decision and said, "This has the potential to make the public consultation into a total farce because the key decision to move to one site for obstetrics will already have been made.

"It seems there is almost no consultation between the hospital trust, the SHA, the PCT and Health Ministers.

"The Trust has really let the cat out of the bag. Due to the financial pressures on it, it is planning to move obstetrics to one site with effect from the beginning of August, saying it has no choice.

"Yet the public consultation on NHS 'reconfiguration' is not due to start until January.

"It now seems clear that the public consultation was always going to be a farce and a sham.

"By the time the consultation ends in April, key decisions to downgrade services will already have been made.

"I am tabling Parliamentary Questions today; but if this decision is not reversed immediately,

"I shall be demanding the resignation of those responsible for this potential fraud on the public."

DGH chief executive Kim Hodgson made the announcement at Wednesday's board meeting.

She said, "From August, regardless of any consultation, there will no longer be a 24-hour obstetrics unit on both sites."