"Hands Off the Conquest (and that means Maternity too)"
says MP.
The job of the Hastings and Rother Primary Care Trust
is to represent local opinion. This year they
have an extra £14million to spend. Next year a
further £14million. It’s all needed of course
but with that sort of extra money they are not strapped for
cash.
When it came to the Accident & Emergency debate we
said “Hands Off the Conquest” and we won. Thanks
to Margaret Williams and the strength of local opinion (and perhaps
the visit to the Prime Minister I arranged) the PCT just “didn’t go
there!”.
Now maternity is different.
Some say a single site provides a more comprehensive service than
two small units in Eastbourne and
Hastings. What I have told
the PCT is that whilst I understand the argument between
comprehensiveness of service and access my preferred option is to
maintain a consultant led service on both sites unless that is
inconsistent with safety and the interest of my
constituents.
What I am clear about however (as are all the
consultants I have spoken to) is that the Conquest must retain the
consultant led
service.
The “why?” is clear given the social disadvantages and
the geography of the area. It is unthinkable
that Conquest should lose its consultant led
service.
What I have said consistently is that
personally I do not see an equality of value in the claims
of Hastings and
Eastbourne and that therefore if the single site
option is decided upon that it must be in
Hastings. That is
non-negotiable.
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