Emergency consultation over A&E proposals
Health secretary Patricia Hewitt has agreed to investigate concerns that Worthing Hospital is to be downgraded and lose its accident and emergency department along with other vital services.
When challeneged in the House of Commons last week by Worthing West MP Peter Bottomley, the secretary of state said she was not aware of the situation but pledged to look into the matter.
This comes following the revelation that the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority is secretly considering nine options for the future of local health services. Six of the options would involve the downgrading of Worthing Hospital and the inevitable loss of accident and emergency services.
( For full story see West Sussex Gazette June 14)