Seaford Community Hospital Campaign steps up a gear

3.50.03pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 11th Jan 2007

Community leaders in Seaford have joined forces to step up the campaign for a community hospital in the town.

Last year local MP Norman Baker issued a call for such a facility to be provided in Seaford, and received widespread support from across the town.

The call helped give impetus to discussions between town representatives and NHS management to try to find a way to meet this need, and a plan to convert and extend the existing Seaford health centre has been taking shape. Unfortunately, the reorganisation of the Primary Care Trusts in East Sussex has caused the discussions to go cold, and community leaders fear that the impetus created could be lost and the window of opportunity closed. They are determined that this should not happen, and have decided to mobilise the town to put pressure on the SHA and local PCT.

Seaford's MP Norman Baker says: "It is disgraceful that a town the size of Seaford, around 24,000, has so few health services, particularly given the age profile of the town. The government's own policy document, "Fit for the Future", sets out services that towns like Seaford should have, and we simply haven't got them.

"It's high time Seaford got a fair deal from the government and from the area's NHS management. There must be investment to provide a community hospital, capable of dealing with minor injuries and minor operations, and offering basic health checks.

"The town's voice must be heard loud and clear. I want the management at the Strategic Health Authority and at the Primary Care Trust to wake up in the morning thinking about Seaford."

The town's Mayor, Rosemary Collict, is backing the campaign. She says: "Seaford deserves better, and now is the time to push for the sort of facility that other towns have and that we need."

Seaford councillor Ralph Taylor, who represents the District Council on the East Sussex Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, adds: "Seaford is a growing town, with a large number of elderly people, and increasing numbers of young families. We need decent and adequate health services close at hand, particularly given the uncertainty over the future shape of the DGH in Eastbourne. I am backing this campaign and urge others in the town to do the same."

To this end, a petition of Seaford residents is being organised, in order to impress upon the managers of the local NHS the importance to which the people of Seaford attach to the future of healthcare provision in their town. The petition is worded: "We support the call for Seaford to have improved health facilities close at hand, and in particular the establishment of a Community Hospital in the town, with a minor injuries unit, diagnostic and treatment facilities, and the capacity to undertake minor operations. We call on the Strategic Health Authority and local Primary Care Trust to ensure such facilities are provided as a matter of urgency."

Further to this, Norman Baker will be meeting Nick Yeo, Chief Executive of the local Primary Care Trust, on Friday, to press the campaign aims with him, and will make a further statement after that meeting.