Sussex Surgical Centre: Name announced for Eastbourne hospital's major new surgical facility

The name of the new elective surgical hub currently being built at Eastbourne District General Hospital has been formally announced as the ‘Sussex Surgical Centre’.

The name was chosen following a competition among trust staff who had the opportunity to put forward their choices for a name for the new facility.

The project – made possible following a £22.5m Government fund – will deliver a modern, purpose-built day surgery unit which will include a preassessment area, four theatres, admission, recovery and discharge space, as well as support facilities.

It will offer Sussex residents the opportunity to have their day surgery procedure performed more quickly and in a purpose-built environment that allows extra capacity to address both current and future surgical needs.

The facility is set to be open from 7am to 11pm, and conduct procedures from 8am to 6pm, five days a week initially – before moving to six days in the future.

Eastbourne and Willingdon MP Caroline Ansell said: “I’m delighted to announce that this fantastic facility will be called the Sussex Surgical Centre.

"The people of Eastbourne and across Sussex deserve the very best care that the NHS can provide; the centre will deliver that excellent care, and represents a major investment by the government into our local NHS.”

Joe Chadwick-Bell, Chief Executive of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, added: “The Sussex Surgical Centre is part of our ongoing investment into Eastbourne District General Hospital as the hub of day case surgery for the people of Eastbourne and more widely across Sussex.

"As well as the bricks and mortar development, we are working on new ways of delivering surgical care in the centre enabling us to see more people, more quickly.

"Thank you to everyone involved in the project for all of their continued hard work in improving our services in East Sussex and beyond.”

Work on the Sussex Surgical Centre is planned to be completed in spring 2025. Its construction is ‘the first step in the transformation’ of the DGH site ahead of the town’s new hospital, according to Mrs Ansell.