The Conquest Hospital, part of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, is no longer in special measures news that has been warmly welcomed by local MPs.

The trust is made up of the Conquest and Eastbourne District General Hospital. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) this week published a report following their latest inspection of the two hospitals and although the CQC‘s rating for the Trust remains ‘Requiring Improvement’ overall, the CQC noted significant improvements in a number of areas including leadership, accident and emergency, medical care and outpatient which are now considered ‘good’. In addition, the CQC identified areas of outstanding practice in all core services at the Trust.

Hastings’ MP Amber Rudd said: “The CQC’s report is a testament to the hard work of the doctors and nurses of the East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. It is encouraging to see the measures that have been taken to ensure that local hospitals give our towns the best possible healthcare. I know that I am among many residents who are grateful to the dedicated teams who work so hard to deliver good healthcare and I am pleased that Adrian Bull’s work has been recognised by the CQC.”

Huw Merriman, MP for Bexhill and Battle, said: “The Trust’s exit from Special Measures is a great step forward for our local NHS hospitals and full credit for this goes to the dedication, commitment and hard work of all the Trusts staff under the excellent leadership of chief executive Adrian Bull and his management team. That so many important elements of the hospitals are now rated as good, gives me great confidence that the Trust will continue to improve and provide our constituents with the high standard of healthcare they deserve.”

In a letter to East Sussex MPs, Caroline Dineage MP, Minister of State for Care, said “This improvement is… a sign of very positive progress being made at the Trust.”