THREAT TO OPERATIONS AT HOSPITAL

It has left hospital managers fewer than six months to come up with alternative arrangements.

The Uckfield hospital, built in the 1990s with huge public support, comes under the auspices of the Sussex Downs and Weald Primary Care Trust.

Surgery at the hospital has been carried out by staff of the East Sussex Hospitals (ESH) NHS Trust which runs the District General Hospital in Eastbourne and the Conquest Hospital in Hastings.

Operations carried out at the hospital are for general surgery such as hernia, ear, nose and throat (ENT) treatment and orthopaedic care.

A spokesman for Sussex Downs and Weald PCT said: 'I can confirm that ESH has given the PCT notice they intend to withdraw surgical services, including inpatient and day care, from Uckfield hospital next year. This is still very early days and we will be holding discussions with representatives from the trust to discuss their intentions before the PCT formally respond to this notice.

'In the event of the trust deciding to continue with the decision to withdraw their services, the PCT, as commissioners, will seek to secure an alterative provider for the hospital.'

The spokesman said the PCT was keen to reassure residents it would be working to sustain the current level of service at the hospital and it hoped to ensure residents would not be left without such provisions once the trust left in March next year.

The spokesman added: 'The PCT is committed to maintaining services at Uckfield Hospital; it is a valuable asset to the community.'

News that the East Sussex Hospitals intended to pull out was revealed on Tuesday at a meeting of the Uckfield hospital league of friends.

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