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 one now!!

	Friday May 9th 2008 From 7.00pm to 10.00pm - Our campaign team will be collecting donations and there may even be a charity auction!! Sovereign Radio's Ryan Miln's is broadcasting his show live from The Rodmill, opposite the DGH. Please join us!
	Saturday May 17th - Sponsored Nappy Walk Starting from Holywell at noon! Please help us raise money by joining this. Sponsor forms - see left column.
	Saturday May 31st 2008 Dinner Dance "Save the DGH" Dinner Dance at the Winter Garden. Tickets £25 ea. Please email us with your name and address and send ticket money (marked Dinner Dance) with an s.a.e. to 7 Eskdale Close, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 8HY. Please make cheques payab.le to the "Save the DGH Campaign". Tickets can be bought by table of ten and will ensure seated together.
	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 different 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
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 is appealing to the people of Eastbourne (and East Sussex) to help fund the cost of a Judicial Review into the future of maternity services at Eastbourne DGH (and the Conquest at Hastings), which we believe we can win.

Eastbourne Borough Council
EBC have agreed to give an additional £20,000 (total contribution £40,000) but did not give an indemnity to underwrite the PCT's costs should we lose, which could cost as much as £150,000. A fundraising drive has therefore begun and are absolutely convinced that the people of Eastbourne and East Sussex will support us as we continue our fight to save babies lives!

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