'Clock is ticking' - More than 7,000 people sign petition after Chichester MP urges leaders to re-open cardiac cath lab

A cardiac cath lab is a specialised hospital area that uses imaging technology to perform diagnostic tests and minimally invasive procedures on the heart and blood vessels.

The facility at Chichester’s hospital has been closed since the end of 2024, due to problems with its ventilation – discovered ‘during a routine inspection earlier this year’.

In September, Jess Brown-Fuller, Member of Parliament for Chichester, called on decision makers – at The University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust – to ensure that the lab re-opens in full following its renovations.

A petition – backing the Chichester MP’s appeal – was set up by a ‘concerned service user’ on Tuesday, October 28. In under a week, it has been signed by more than 7,200 people.

The appeal reads: “The clock is ticking. We need to act now before the decision is made and help to keep this vital service open!

“The cardiac cath lab at St Richard's Hospital provides vital emergency care including the fitting of essential pacemakers and other lifesaving devices as well as many other outpatient procedures for our local population.

"The impact of [a] closure would be far reaching with those affected.

"Patients, who will be diverted from our local hospital travelling greater distances to Worthing and beyond to receive essential treatment that is currently provided to a high standard at St Richard's.

“The potential effect on patients includes an increase in distress and anxiety due to possible longer waiting times as more patients are seen by already busy services elsewhere.

“Relatives and carers will be required to travel longer distances to see their family members or take them to appointments and treatment, incurring increased costs, time and disruption.

“Other vital services such as ambulance and patient transport will be impacted as they are required to take patients further and with an increased demand, placing a greater burden on already stretched services.

“There is still time to save this essential and highly respected service for our local hospital and residents, but we need to act now.

"Please join us in signing this petition today, and together we'll campaign to keep this vital facility in the 'heart' of our local community.”

The University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust’s chief of service, Dr Ryan Watkins, said an issue identified with the ventilation system in the cath lab remains ‘under review’.

He added: “To ensure patient safety remains our top priority, the cath lab has been temporarily taken offline while refurbishment options and broader considerations are carefully considered.

"In the interim, patients are being rebooked at alternative facilities at St Richard’s or our cath labs in Worthing, to ensure their treatment continues in a timely and safe manner."

In a letter sent on Thursday, September 11, Mrs Brown-Fuller raised concerns from clinicians and patients, ‘including delays to vital procedures’ such as pacemaker installation and fears about the lab’s long-term future.

She wrote: “I have serious concerns about a permanent closure. Such a decision would severely compromise St Richard’s ability to deliver comprehensive cardiac care and would represent a significant downgrading of the hospital’s services.

“Given the consistent demand for cardiac services, closure would be particularly alarming for those living with long-term heart conditions. Patients requiring outpatient interventions would no longer be able to access services locally, with the elderly population being especially vulnerable to the challenges of travelling greater distances for essential cardiac care.”

The MP has previously discussed the issue with hospital bosses who stated that ‘no final decisions had been made on the lab’.

To sign the online petition, visit www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-this-essential-cardiology-service-at-st-richards-hospital-chichester