Norman Baker MP Member of Parliament for Lewes constituency
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Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
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Health victory as Newhaven Downs to reopen
Local MP Norman Baker has given a cautious welcome to today’s news that the long-mothballed Newhaven Downs health facility is set to reopen.
The facility, which is modern and state-of-the-art, was closed several years ago as a cost-saving measure, and efforts to have it reopened have been championed by the local MP and others as part of the campaign to improve health facilities for those in Seaford and Newhaven.
The decision, which follows top-level discussions between Norman Baker and chiefs at the East Sussex Downs and Weald Primary Care Trust, is officially unveiled at the meeting at 11am today of the Seaford Stakeholder Group at the Seaford medical centre in Dane Road, Seaford.
Under the plans, the Downs will be reopened as the Newhaven Rehabilitation Centre, to help older people who need a period of recovery or rehabilitation. The MP says that he expects this to be available to Seaford and Newhaven residents, and not just those from Brighton.
Also announced today are plans to provide a base for the ambulance service at Seaford fire station, to improve the relatively poor response times for people in Seaford, and plans to establish new outpatient clinics for local residents in a number of specialities at Newhaven polyclinic, adjacent to Newhaven Downs.
Norman Baker says: "It is very good news that Newhaven Downs is to reopen. The initial use of the building will provide only limited value for local people in Seaford and Newhaven, but it was important to bring the building back into use. It makes it much easier to argue for improvements with a facility that is open than with one that is closed.
"I am disappointed more progress has not been made in providing a central point for the delivery of an increased range of services in Seaford, which with a population of some 25,000is entitled to a better deal from the NHS. Nevertheless, I do welcome the steps to give a Seaford base for the ambulance service, and to work up the provision of more outpatient services in Newhaven.
Leader of Seaford Town Council Jon Freeman says: “This package represents a useful first step, but it is only that, not the whole solution. We will be continuing to press for much more to be done to improve health facilities in Seaford."