Save Eastbourne DGH

Fighting for your local hospital Services.

Get your own 'Save the DGH' clothing - t'shirts, sweatshirts & hoodies. Prices from £10 with £5 donated to the Campaign for every item of clothing sold!! Order now!!

Thank You for Your Support
Members of our Campaign Group boarded a vintage bus donated by Eastbourne Buses on 9th May to pick up donations. Tonia Mitchell who was heavily pregnant and due to give birth in 3 weeks presented a cheque for £500 from the Sovereign Harbour Residents Association. Ellis Builders gave a donation of £500, Whiteline Windows a donation of £750, Visick Cars - MD Stephen Visick handed over a cheque for £1000, Langney Shopping Centre gave a donation of £500 and the newly promoted local Eastbourne Borough FC handed over a cheque for £500. Cobb PR hosted a coffee afternoon with all proceeds going to the Campaign and in the evening The Rodmill Pub and Sovereign Radio hosted a donation drop-off.

OTHER NEWS & CURRENT EVENTS Please support us!!
	Support Your GP Surgery! Sign the petition at your local surgery before Friday 6th June 2008 or register your petition signature online
	Will Somebody Listen! The A259 between Hastings and Eastbourne has been named the ninth most challenging in Britain. See the story and watch the video report here or look here.
	May 17th - Nappy Walk Was a great success, many thanks to all who took part - we raised over £6000. Click here for some pictures!
	Sat May 31st Dinner Dance Dinner Dance at the Winter Garden. Update on funds raised soon. Thanks to all who helped and came.
	March-November 17th Over 2000 people took to the streets of Eastbourne again, with just under half that staying for a rally at the Town Hall.See Report/Video
	Pregnant? Please help by contacting us via info@savethedgh.org.uk giving us your contact details and when your baby is due we will contact you.
	Maternity under threat. If we lose Maternity A&E, Paediatrics and other Emergency Services WILL follow! The ONLY safe alternative is our OPTION 5 SAVING LIVES.
	HOSC tells the PCT to look further at Options which do NOT close a maternity unit!!!! See their recommendation. You can read their Final Report.
	Midwives told (17th December 2007) to re-apply for their jobs!! Nigel Waterson has responded angrily
	If you work for the NHS please sign our online petition but put "(NHS)" after your name. We will only publish the NUMBER of people who sign up in this way NOT your name.

CURRENT SITUATION!
The decision to downgrade Eastbourne Maternity is being challenged in two ways:

by local politicians -East Sussex Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee who have referred the matter to the Secretary of State for Health. Read Press Release and please note that the IRP has now been asked to act. Please make sure that your opinion is heard! See IRP page.
by applying for a Judicial Review in the High Court. We are doing this but it is costly! Please read 'Please help' below.

It is important that this decision is challenged both ways as they are both very different routes and could result in different outcomes.

PLEASE HELP!!
The Save the DGH Campaign has been set up to fight to retain our essential emergency services at the Eastbourne DGH. Any unspent funds when the Campaign is over will be donated to Eastbourne Friends of the DGH.

Fundraising
We are currently raising funds for the legal challenge - Judicial Review which could cost as much as £150,000.

If we win we would expect the PCT to pay our legal costs, but if we lose, we could be ordered to pay theirs. In view of this, you may wish to make a pledge, in place of a donation, that would only become payable should we lose.

Donations/pledges can be sent to: Save the DGH, c/o LMDB Chartered Certified Accountants, Railview Lofts, 19c Commercial Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex. BN21 3XE

Vincent Argent, Consultant Obstrician/Gynaecologist response: "With the greatest of respect, none of these decision makers have been faced with a woman bleeding profusely or a baby not breathing in front of them. I have! It is stupid, crass and ignorant to suggest that time is unimportant. In 10 years time, I expect CEMACH will be publishing concerns about the travel times to consultant units as happened back in the 70s and early 80s. We will go full circle. Paediatrics and A & E may follow and then cardiology and other services. Sad times but only the local people and their political and medical ( GPs ) representatives have any chance of turning this around."

We're working with Hands-off-the-conquest to safeguard BOTH hospitals.

Say ‘No’ to cuts at the DGH

Eastbourne DGH and the Hastings Conquest hospital needs:

Consultant led Obstetrics 24/7
In-patient Paediatric beds ( probably 15 each ) 24/7
Acute Medical admissions 24/7
Acute Surgical admissions 24/7
Acute Psychiatric admissions / crisis intervention teams 24/7
Accident & Emergency / Trauma 24/7