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26 June 2009
Headlines about the DGH being so short-staffed it was considering closing down A&E at either Eastbourne or Hastings, or shutting the department to ambulances during the night, make unsettling reading.
Just a few months ago, hospital campaigners were celebrating after winning their battle to keep full maternity services at both sites.
Back then, they vowed not to rest on their laurels and said they would be keeping a close eye on the hospital trust. It seems their vigilance is desperately necessary again.
East Sussex Hospitals Trust is struggling to recruit enough doctors and has had to boost pay, and improve current working conditions to encourage staff retention, to lure then in.
The A&E department must be one of the few places in the country battling to recruit people in a recession.
The department, at the front line of the hospital, is apparently seen as too demanding for many doctors - and medics are opting for larger training hospitals rather than work on the south coast.
Hopefully the DGH bosses will stick to their guns in encouraging more doctors to Eastbourne, rather than taking the extreme - and, no doubt, extremely unpopular - decision of slashing the service that A&E provides.
Having to get an ambulance over to Hastings or Brighton is unacceptable for pregnant mums - and unacceptable for those desperately needing A&E.
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Weather for Eastbourne
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
