Eastbourne leaders call on Health Secretary to intervene on changes to paediatric services at the District General Hospital

Ahead of a public meeting on paediatric services at Eastbourne District General Hospital, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate Josh Babarinde is calling on the Health Secretary to intervene.

Health bosses at the DGH recently announced plans to restructure the DGH's paediatrics department.

Local residents, clinicians and campaigners are concerned that this could mean more children may instead need to go to The Conquest Hospital in Hastings to access care.

However, these concerns were refuted by an East Sussex NHS Healthcare trust spokesperson.

New powers of intervention for the Health Secretary on such issues will come into effect at the end of this month, January 31.

Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Eastbourne Josh Babarinde, who was born in the DGH, has set up a petition calling for hospital bosses to pause their plans and launch a public consultation, which has been signed by over 2,500 residents. The request for a pause was declined, despite the cross-party Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee at East Sussex County Council also calling for a pause.

As a result, Mr Babarinde has called a public meeting to discuss this matter and has written to the Health Secretary Victoria Atkins to intervene by 'calling in' the decision.

He said: "Our hospital's services have been eroded over the years and this cannot go on. That's why I've written to the Health Secretary asked her to intervene and halt the changes that thousands of local people want to have a say on."

Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell has also called upon the Health Secretary to call in plans by hospital bosses to change the paediatric services.

She said: “There are strong local feelings about what is planned that I have listened to carefully and it is my intention to call in the hospital’s paediatric plans for the secretary of state’s consideration at the end of the month.

“Parents need confidence this important service will remain effective and the hospital trust knows that. I need to continue to hear parents’ voices as I prepare the ground for my submission and I am working closely with Lewes MP Maria Caulfield the minister for paediatrics.

“The Health Overview Scrutiny Committee that also quizzed the hospital over the plans, challenged the timescale and deliverability of them but did not consider they met the threshold for referral at that point either. They have also committed to undertake a review

“All this means that the referral to the Health Secretary could fall below the qualifying threshold for a ‘substantial variation’.

“However, if that proves to be the case, it can only help to allay concerns. My action in calling it in is simply a belt and braces approach and the right approach too. We need to shine a light on what these plans mean for children and their parents.

An East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust spokesperson said:

“We thank Caroline Ansell MP for her ongoing discussions with us regarding constituents concerns over the improvements we have made to paediatric urgent care at Eastbourne DGH. We will continue to work with Caroline, East Sussex HOSC and other partners to provide the assurance they need.”