Angry Littlehampton Hospital fund-raisers vow to keep cash from the NHS

Furious over NHS Sussex’s decision not to rebuild the health facility, the Littlehampton Hospital League of Friends has attacked the NHS for ignoring the group’s vital role over many decades.

The first anyone from the league knew of the controversial decision was when the news broke on local television and the Gazette’s website.

And when league chairman Ann Thomson contacted NHS officials to ask why the group had not been consulted over the hospital’s future, or told of the decision, an official told her they were unaware of the “friends”.

Much of the money accumulated by the league was received in legacies, often from people grateful for the care given in their much-loved local hospital. Over the years, the league invested tens of thousands of pounds in improvements there.

Since the hospital was demolished seven years ago, with the promise, now broken, that it would be rebuilt, the league had been keeping the money, including cash raised by the annual fêtes it used to hold, until the redevelopment.

“We could have done so much with that money. It’s very sad it won’t be needed now for a new hospital,” said Mrs Thomson.

“I’m convinced that, with everything that has happened, none of my committee will want to hand the money directly to the NHS.

“And if we do give it to the local doctors, it will be in the form of equipment, not cash.”

Mrs Thomson said the league would be calling a special annual meeting at the end of this month or early in May, to which townspeople would be invited to add their suggestions on how the £134,000 should be spent. Details of the date, time and venue will be announced later in the Gazette.

Any ideas will also have to be referred to the Charity Commission and would have to be in line with the league’s constitution, which stated funds should be spent in Littlehampton and.or Wick.

Responding to the criticism, an NHS Sussex spokeswoman said:

“We acknowledge the disappointment that members of the Littlehampton community may feel at the decision about the community hospital. However, after looking at the health needs of the local population and current health services available, we decided that at this time we need to focus investment into local health services rather than in a hospital with beds.

“We are committed to ensuring that people in the Littlehampton, and Arun health locality, are treated by the right person, in the right place at the right time and wherever possible closer to home.

“With this in mind, it is important that we work on developing services that will truly meet the needs of the Littlehampton population now and in the future.

“Our work has been shaped to date by the involvement of local GPs and clinicians and we have regularly updated and engaged with local elected members on the progress of the project.

“We remain committed to working closely with our partners in Littlehampton, and the wider the Arun health locality, to further develop plans for local health services that will make the best use of resources and have a positive impact on people’s health, well-being and quality of life.”