Conquest row

This week he said he was 'cautiously optimistic' that health bosses will not propose such an unpopular move.

The plans are due to be published next month.

But Bexhill and Battle MP Greg Barker said his Hastings counterpart was 'living in cloud cuckoo land'.

He said: "We still have a big fight ahead of us if we are to preserve services at the Conquest and Eastbourne DGH.

"There are still big cuts in the pipeline. It is simply a question on where they will fall

"We will not know until the options are published."

Mr Foster said: "At this stage it is still only my best guess but I think the local Primary Care Trust (PCT) which the Prime Minister Tony Blair told us would be advising on the future of services has been listening hard as to what people have been saying.

"I fully anticipate that it will not now suggest a closure or downgrading of either site although all this is subject to consultation and the campaign continues until we have it signed and settled."

Hastings and Rother PCT which is running consultation meetings prior to the proposals being published will also be looking at other services, in particular maternity services in Hastings and Eastbourne DGH.

Mr Foster said these, including obstetrics, which deals with high-risk pregnancies, will be subject to greater supervision from August.

This means current consultants staff will be required to supervise others thus creating difficulty in maintaining greater cover across both the Conquest and DGH.

The likely outcome is a consultant-led maternity service either at Hastings or Eastbourne with a midwifery-led service at the other site.

Mr Foster said: "Of course we would all want to see an enhanced service at both ends but I will certainly be arguing that if changes are to be made the Conquest is the obvious place for a consultant-led service both because it is purpose built and because the social profile of Hastings is such that many do not have transport and more babies need special care.

"Eastbourne does have the choice of Brighton as well as Hastings as an alternative whereas here the travel distances to Eastbourne are unacceptable in an emergency."