No plans have been made but the Herald understands that all options, including moving elective orthopaedics, are currently on the table as the NHS in East Sussex is tasked with planning for a tough future with rising demands for services without increased funding from the government.
A review of all health care provided by hospitals and GP surgeries across East Sussex is taking place as health trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs), including the NHS East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT, NHS Hastings and Rother PCT and East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, assess what they do and look at possible cost saving ideas "to help us deliver change in a tougher financial period".
Elective orthopaedics is just one area the review is looking at and other changes which would affect patients and staff are being considered.
Over the coming months the 'strategic review process' will assess "the optimum organisational model for sustainability of two acute hospitals".
At the last board meeting, held at the end of last month (January 27), member of the board of the East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the DGH and the Conquest Hospital in Hastings, approved that the review should take place.
A 'first cut' review is due by the end of March with a final version due in September.
When the Herald asked about a rumour that elective orthopaedics could move from Eastbourne to Hastings, the NHS in East Sussex, which includes two PCTs and the hospital trust, sent a statement which says, "We have not decided to move elective orthopaedics and have no firm plans to do so.
"The local Primary Care Trusts and hospital trust are beginning to develop plans to ensure we can continue to deliver safe, effective and sustainable services in the future, making the best use of limited resources in the future to meet growing demand and increasing expectations. Looking at orthopaedics will be part of this process.
"We will be looking to closely involve clinicians and the public in all this work as well as any decision to change."