Hospital full

A DOZEN patients had to be ferried to Eastbourne because the Conquest was full.

The hospital had to refuse all new incoming patients and turn ambulances away. Patients then had to travel almost 20 miles to Eastbourne.

Bosses sent a confidential email to all the GPs surgeries and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).

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The contents of the email, sent by Jim Davey, director of operations for East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, were leaked to the Observer this week. It said the Conquest was on 'red alert' and 'unable to offload ambulances to A&E'.

It also urged GPs to limit hospital referrals to reduce the pressure on the Conquest.

The hospital in The Ridge was on red alert from 8.15am until 4pm last Tuesday.

A spokesman for the Trust said: "The hospital was particularly busy that day. In that period 12 patients were diverted to the DGH. Although the hospital was busy only one person waited longer than four hours to be treated or discharged due to the efforts of our staff."

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He said the hospital was still able to take emergency admissions.

l Patients may have to travel up to 20 miles to hospital as bosses consider closing A&E at night.

The Observer has seen a leaked document which shows managers of both the Conquest and Eastbourne DGH are seriously considering a number of cost-cutting changes, among them sharing the responsibility for casualty and surgery, including paediatrics, on a daily basis.

This would mean only one A&E department would be open during the night while the second hospital would close its casualty department at 8pm and not reopen until 8am.

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Managers admitted during the meeting, held on April 21, that the proposed changes could lead to a reduction in treatment because of staff travelling between Hastings and Eastbourne.

Hastings MP Michael Foster said: "The A&E department is sacrosanct and I cannot believe managers would seriously consider this given the strength of local opinion."

In response, Judith Clabby, director of corporate services at the Trust, said: "All options are on the table for discussion with clinical staff, so that when we get to the public consultation stage all the options that we will put forward will have been properly thought through."

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