Shame on you... PCT stands firm

In front of a 200-strong audience, West Sussex Primary Care Trust agreed to rubberstamp its decision to make Worthing Hospital the major general hospital '“ at the expense of the Chichester hospital.

Consultant-led maternity, inpatient children's services and emergency surgery will be centralised to Worthing, forcing patients from the St Richard's area to travel to Portsmouth or Worthing to access the three services.

A small midwife-led maternity unit will be set up at St Richard's Hospital to replace the axed service.

The PCT's decision came after it received three separate reports by external experts reviewing the evidence and decision-making process.

As a result, the board said there was no basis on which its decisions should be reviewed.

John Wilderspin, PCT chief executive, said: "What is important now is focusing further on the issues that matter most to the public, such as addressing access in rural areas and ambulance response times.

"Changes to health services in West Sussex will be gradual and we want to reassure the public the NHS is still open for business and nothing will happen overnight."

But the decision angered the campaigners who packed out the board meeting at the Avisford Park Hotel in Walberton to make their views heard.

Members of the public cheered and jeered as they quizzed board members about the decision and its evidence and accused them of not listening to their concerns.

The decision coincided with a report from the Healthcare Commission which rated the consultant-led maternity service at St Richard's one of the best in the country, while Worthing was only given a 'better performing' score and Portsmouth a 'fair' rating.

"How can you justify the decision to close such a centre of excellence?" hospital supporter Crystal Golder said.

But bosses said the evidence supported their decision that Worthing was the best choice because it had a larger catchment population, would mean fewer people travelling further distances and was closer to the greater numbers of deprived people.

Supporters of the hospital are now awaiting a meeting of the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday which meets at 11am at County Hall in Chichester, when it will decide whether to ask for the decision to be called in and reviewed by Whitehall.

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