Eastbourne hospital to close

The facility in Hartington Place has announced it is stopping all non-fertility services such as joint replacements and general medicine, but wants to continue a fertility service through a transfer to a third party provider.

The 86 non-fertility staff and 11 fertility staff were told this afternoon (Thursday) of the decision, which will see a closure of all services except fertility by July 5 2019 and a relocation of fertility to purpose-built accommodation later in the year.

Planned day case surgery for non-fertility patients will continue throughout June; patients booked before June 15 will have their procedures as planned and patients booked after June 15 will be contacted and invited to attend earlier appointments. Follow-up appointments in June will also continue as planned.

Inpatient surgery and appointments for new patients will be cancelled – however the hospital has confirmed what he called “the importance of ensuring continuity of care for every patient”.

A spokesperson said, “We are contacting patients to advise of next steps.

“As our patients would expect of us, we will make sure each and every patient has a safe option if they need to have their surgery elsewhere, drawn up in conjunction with their consultant.

“We will be in touch, but if a patient has an urgent enquiry then they are welcome to call our patient contact line on 0800 096 2254.”

The hospital provides healthcare for NHS-funded, insured and private patients.

The team intends to proceed with around 240 people awaiting planned day-case procedures or follow-up appointments, find alternative options for around 200 people whose follow-up appointments would fall on or after July 6, and cancel procedures or initial appointments for around 90 people whose treatment and follow-up would not end before the cessation date on July 5 2019.

The spokesman said, “While we can carry out day case procedures that do not require an overnight stay or significant follow-up appointments, it’s important from a patient safety point of view that we do not start treatment for people whose care would not conclude until after the cessation date.”

Fertility clinics and services for IVF, ICSI, IUI, frozen embryos and gametes and all embryology are unaffected.

The following services at BMI The Esperance Hospital are ceasing after July 6: breast surgery (all types, cosmetic, oncoplastic etc); cardiology, dermatology, dietetics, ear, nose and throat, endocrinology, gastroenterology, general medicine, general surgery, gynaecology, haematology, maxillo facial surgery, neurology, neurosurgery, oral surgery, orthopaedic, pain management, plastic surgery (this includes cosmetic surgery), psychiatry, radiology, rheumatology, urology and vascular surgery.

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