Eastbourne hospital may get new theatre suite

Local hospitals in East Sussex are part of the second wave funding round earmarked for 2025-2030 in the government’s Health Infrastructure Plan which includes 40 hospitals across England.

A spokesperson at the East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said the £5.05million seed funding will be used to work up plans over the next 12 months as part of a strategic outline business case.

These plans include the expansion of emergency and radiology departments along with replacement or refurbished of clinical facilities at all three sites.

This will include new wards and a fully developed emergency floor at the Conquest, and a new outpatients department, theatre suite and staff residences at Eastbourne along with the creation of more clinical space within the existing hospital footprint.

At Bexhill, a new rehabilitation unit and ophthalmology facilities are planned.

In addition, officials say the backlog maintenance at Bexhill, Conquest and Eastbourne Hospitals will be completed.

The trust’s chief executive Dr Adrian Bull said, “We are delighted to get funding to work up detailed plans and a business case to transform our hospitals. This will be the key to unlock major investment, expected to be around £500 million, over the course of the next decade.

“This is a major vote of confidence in ESHT and the work we are doing to provide high quality care and to control our finances.

“We are at the start of what will be a lengthy process and our plans will be developed and finessed over time but this investment is very significant.

“We will be working to ensure continued capital investment in the trust pending the commencement of these major developments.

“These are exciting times for healthcare in East Sussex as we plan and build for the future.”