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.
Email: info
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Local MP warns of "dangerous" maternity services closures in Sussex
Local Lib Dem MP, Norman Baker, today led challenges in the Commons to Health Minister, Ann Keen MP, over plans to scrap vital maternity services in Eastbourne and Haywards Heath leaving local mothers-to-be forced to travel unsustainably long distances while in labour. Mr Baker highlighted the unfeasibility of the proposals with the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that the Government consider setting up roadside birthing clinics to assist those unable to reach a hospital on time.
The local MP, who has been actively campaigning to save maternity services at both Eastbourne and the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, also warned the Minister that the only other alternative, the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton, is working close to capacity and regularly turns away mums-to-be.
Local MPs, Nigel Waterson, Nicholas Soames and Charles Hendry rode in to support Mr Baker. It also transpires that the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson MP, himself confessed on BBC Radio 2 less than a month ago that “20 miles is a bit far” for women to travel to access maternity services.
Commenting on the situation, Norman said:
"The configuration of maternity services in Sussex that the local NHS is proposing and that the government is backing is mad, bad and dangerous.
"30 minutes has traditionally always been the benchmark time between a midwife identifying complications during labour and the mother being seen by an obstetrician. That limit cannot be met for my constituents if facilities at Eastbourne and Haywards Heath are lost.
"If even the Secretary of State is saying that ‘20 miles is too far’ then this is a clear sign that the local Primary Care Trusts need to think again. I will continue to pursue the matter until they do.”