Hospital campaigners to meet health chiefs

The invitation follows the publication on Monday (12 March) of the primary care trusts' proposed options for public consultation, in particular changes to maternity services that could ensure mothers-to-be have access to both midwife-led services and the specialist care needed by a small number of them and their babies.

Under the primary care trusts' proposed options, there is one specialised obstetric unit in East Sussex at Eastbourne District General Hospital or the Conquest Hospital, Hastings, supported by midwife-led care, giving women the choice of midwife-led or consultant-led care, and that antenatal and postnatal services continue to be provided locally.

As specialist baby care and gynaecology services are linked to obstetric services, it is also proposed a special baby care unit and inpatient gynaecology services are provided on the same site as the obstetric unit.

Mr Yeo said: 'I look forward to meeting the campaigners as soon as possible to discuss their ideas and how these could be taken forward for assessment against the criteria we have used to develop our options - quality, clinical safety, access, value for money and sustaining two viable hospitals in East Sussex.

'The outcomes of these discussions will be fed into the consultation.'

The boards of the two primary care trusts meet in public today (Friday, 16 March) to agree the options for public consultation and the consultation process.

The meeting is in the Weald Hall, Uckfield Civic Centre, 1pm-4pm.

Public consultation is likely to start later in March and would run for 15 weeks.

As well as giving their views on the options, people would be invited to have their say on what's important to them when it comes to decision-making.