Worthing to become major hospital

Worthing is likely to become the major general hospital

Health bosses in West Sussex have announced that Worthing is likely to be the county's major hospital, retaining full accident and emergency services.

It means St Richard's, in Chichester, will be downgraded, with reduced A&E facilities. Services will stay the same at the Princess Royal, Haywards Heath.

The future of the three hospitals has been at the centre of major public campaigns over the past 18 months.

Thousands of people demonstrated to keep services at their local hospitals.

Among them were Rolling Stone Keith Richards, who joined a march through Chichester last October to support St Richard's.

Fellow campaiger Abigail Rowe said: "We are delighted for the people of Worthing but absolutely devastated for the Chichester area."

Leader of West Sussex County Council, Henry Smith, said the county's health overview and scrutiny committee might ultimately refer the decision to the Secretary of State for Health.

"We accept the PCT has a tough decision to make, but as a county council we do not want to see a loss of hospital services anywhere in the county," he said.

The decision was part of a reorganisation of healthcare called Fit for the Future, which has provoked widespread protest among many patients and MPs.

Emergency surgery

West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT), which is behind the plans, wants just one hospital with full A&E services, paediatrics and consultant-led maternity care.

Chief executive John Wilderspin said the decision had not been made lightly.

"We have two very good hospitals in Chichester and Worthing, and choosing between them was always going to be hard," he said.

"This location provides best access for the greatest number of people including those areas with poorest health outcomes and highest levels of deprivation."

A public consultation period saw 328,000 responses submitted and the PCT announced earlier this month that some A&E services would be retained at all three hospitals.

They will all keep their acute surgery unit, for conditions such as heart attacks, have intensive care beds and be open 24 hours a day.

But only Worthing will carry out emergency surgery, treat seriously ill children or victims of serious road accidents.

St Richard's will have a scaled-down down A&E with a midwife-led maternity unit.

Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust said it would work closely with colleagues in Chichester to identify the best balance of services across the two sites.

"I want to reassure our patients, staff and wider public that our priority will continue to be the well-being of our patients," said chief executive Stephen Cass.

The decision is still to be ratified by the PCT board next week.