National A&E director backs Worthing Hospital

In a meeting at the House of Commons on Wednesday, March 21, Professor Sir George Alberti said it was inappropriate to leave only one major general hospital to serve a population of 762,000.

Mark Signy, a consultant cardiologist at Worthing Hospital, was at the meeting.

He said Professor Alberti's view was that major general hospitals should serve a population of approximately 300,000 '“ an amount Worthing Hospital already caters for alone.

Mr Signy is now keen to hear the outcome of discussions he says the professor has promised to have with the South East Coast Strategic Health Authority and local primary care trusts.

The health authority's consultation document is finally due to be published after the local elections in May, and it is expected it will put forward a proposal for only one major general hospital in the area.

Campaigners say a multi-site option is essential.

Worthing and St Richard's, in Chichester, already serve populations in excess of 300,000, is put forward.

Mr Signy said: "I was present at this Parliamentary Health Group and brought the fears over our local reconfiguration plans to Professor Alberti's attention.

"As Worthing Hospital already serves a population of around 300,000 I simply cannot understand the logic behind proposals to close it."

Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, said: "Professor Alberti's comments are confirmation of what every resident of Worthing and Adur already knows '“ shutting Worthing Hospital will put residents' lives at risk.

"If major general hospitals across the rest of the country are supposed to serve approximately 300,000 people, then why are the Department of Health and the South East Coast SHA asking us in West Sussex to consider only having one which would serve a massive 700,000 people?"

Peter Bottomley, Worthing West MP, added: "It is alarming that these drastic reconfiguration plans being considered in West Sussex were not even on the radar of the man whose job it is to ensure everyone has access to an accident and emergency department."