People from Save the DGH and the counterpart Hands off the Conquest group waved placards during today's PCT meeting branding the consultation process a farce.

At the end of the meeting Eastbourne MP Nigel Waterson said, "This entire process including this morning's meeting has been an utter disgrace.

"I ask for the majority of the people who voted for the decision to resign."

Stephen Lloyd, Lib Dem parliamentary campaigner, said, "This is a deplorable decision taken by the two Primary Care Trusts.

"Those on the board who supported the cutting maternity at the DGH should hang their heads in shame."

Some 50 campaigners attended the meeting and forcefully made their case - to the extent that at one point the chairman threatened to exclude the public.

Eleven board members voted in favour of PCT chief executive Nick Yeo's proposal while three voted against - Dr Simon Eyre, the Eastbourne GPs' representative on the board, non-executive director Jack Barnes and non-executive director Rhiannon Barker.

Campaigners are now considering seeking a judicial review in an attempt to overturn the decision.

Dr Eyre said, "I favour the retention of two consultant-led units. I'm not convinced transit times are safe.

"The best estimate I have is that it would take 94 minutes on the current transport time we have to deal with an emergency caesarean.

"The National Institute of Clinical Excellence recommends a maximum time of 75 minutes to deal with an emergency case."

Dr Eyre also feared the so-called domino effect in that if consultant-led obstetrics was lost at the DGH then cuts to services such as paediatrics, anaesthetics and gynaecology would follow.

He added, "I do not believe that is what people want. It's the express wish of 112 GPs that this does not happen."

Nick Yeo, chief executive of the PCT, defended the board's decision.

He said, "We have had a very strong comprehensive consultation.

"We have also had guidance from a number of colleges like the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists."

He said he believed the proposals would improve the reliability of services and reduce the level of unplanned closures. He also said he believed that what was being proposed was safe.

Mr Yeo added that the move would involve the enhancement of training for ambulance staff in handling the initial stages of labour.

Defending the choice of Hastings for consultant-led maternity, he said there was very strong evidence linking levels of deprivation and premature births. Women in deprived areas were five times more likely to have problems with birth.

Liz Walke, chairman of Save the DGH, said, "It's been an absolute sham from start to finish.

"They have ushered it through using every argument to support their case.

"I would say democracy is dead. It was stage-managed and the decision was planned before the meeting took place.

"The saddest day will be when a baby is damaged or dies on the way to Hastings."

The changes will also mean the DGH losing its Special Care Baby Unit.

Also see: Specialist maternity scrapped in Eastbourne