It's Littlehampton

NHS chiefs this week committed themselves to the 3.3m redevelopment of the existing Littlehampton Hospital site, where a brand new, 40-44 bed hospital will be built.

Adur, Arun and Worthing Primary Care Trust backed the project at its meeting on Tuesday, with the condition that full, detailed costs are brought back to the trust for final approval in February.

As well as the new building, the whole area will benefit from improved health and social services, enabling far more people to be cared for in their own homes with support from extra district nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other care workers.

The good news for Littlehampton Hospital campaigners, who have battled long and hard to keep a hospital in the town, is tempered by the disappointment felt by people in the Rustington area over the loss of their hospital, Zachary Merton.

Zachary MertonThe hospital, which for many years served as this area's maternity unit, will be demolished and its extensive grounds sold off for development, contributing around 3.5m to subsidise the new hospital at Littlehampton.

Rustington Residents' Association, the Zachary Merton League of Friends and Rustington Parish Council had all pressed before the meeting for the trust to return to the original proposals to retain Zachary Merton and redevelop it as a 60-bed hospital, with the closure of Littlehampton Hospital.

Margaret Bamford, chairman of the trust, said settling on the location had been a difficult decision. "Replacing existing facilities has always been the subject of debate and we have heard several arguments about the location of the service. We have listened to local opinion, but we have to ensure we develop a health service that meets the needs of the overall population for years to come.

"From the detailed work conducted so far, evidence suggests that the Littlehampton option now yields greater benefits. The idea of building

the hospital alongside the current health centre as an integrated development would mean that people could visit one site for community hospital, outpatient and related health services."

For the full story, see the Gazette, November 28.