May 27 2015.


Local MP Maria Caulfield has written to the Secretary of State for Health, Rt. hon Jeremy Hunt MP, following the recent meeting of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) at East Sussex County Council, concerning the East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT).

Maria, an NHS nurse, has asked the Secretary of State to follow developments at ESHT extremely carefully following a 'no confidence' motion passed the HOSC Committee members in the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Trust following a poor Care Quality Commission inspection report.

Although the officials refused to resign, a further discussion will be held in the summer about what steps will need to be taken to bring the Trust's health services up to standard.

Commenting on the discussions today, Maria said: "The NHS is a key national asset. So many people rely on it and standards must be high and maintained.

"I am pleased that further consideration is going to be given to this matter, but in the meantime I have asked the Secretary of State and his officials to keep a close eye on developments at the Trust. Improvements must be made straightaway."