Campaigners fear West Sussex will soon be left with nothing

The news comes as hospital bosses admit improving services at the East Sussex hospital was just as important as services in West Sussex, after the West Sussex Primary Care Trust worked jointly with the Brighton PCT to develop the proposals.

Chief executive of the West Sussex PCT, John Wilderspin, said: "It is important to remember this is also about getting the right level of services at Brighton.

"The services that are going to be there will work closely with those in West Sussex."

But Support St Richard's campaigner Abigail Rowe feared hefty government investment in Brighton would leave West Sussex, and Worthing hospital, in a vulnerable position.

"We fear that by putting the major general hospital in Worthing and by ploughing 400m into Brighton, they are going to want Worthing's business," she said.

"There is a threat Brighton will be predatory on the MGH right on its doorstep and will want to steal its patients.

"Our fear is West Sussex will eventually be left with no acute services."

Mr Wilderspin also told the Observer he did not share fears that Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth would become too big as a result of the Fit For The Future changes, and said as long as QA said it could cope with the extra patients, he was satisfied.

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