Revealed – £400,000 ‘wasted’ on Littlehampton Hospital

HEALTH chiefs have been accused of “wasting” more than £400,000 on demolishing Littlehampton Hospital five years ago and having designs and a business plan drawn up for its replacement.

The figures have been obtained by Littlehampton Community Hospital campaigners who are angry that not a brick has been laid since the old building was knocked down six years ago.

A Freedom of Information request to NHS bosses asking for a breakdown of costs incurred so far reveals that demolition cost approximately £75,000, and £338,918 was spent on external consultancy costs associated with the design and tender of the replacement and its subsequent business case.

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The Give us our Hospital campaign, spearheaded by Arun District Council leader Gillian Brown and Littlehampton mayor Alan Gammon, together with the Littlehampton Gazette, calls on health bosses to deliver their promise of a hospital for the town.

Mrs Brown said: “I am sure that campaigners will be as frustrated as I am to learn the true costs associated with this project..”

The campaign has been supported by all sections of the community, with around 7,000 people pledging support.

The letters will be delivered by campaigners and councillors to Downing Street next month.

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Mr Gammon has asked people to write to the campaign with their experiences of how the loss of the hospital has affected them.

He said: “We are doing all we possibly can to hold health bosses to their promise.”

Health chiefs responsible for deciding on the project’s fate are due to meet again in public on November 24 in Lewes.

Anyone who would like to put their name on the open protest letter can visit the Arun District Council website.

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