SAVE OUR HOSPITALS: Why the PCT has to choose Worthing

WHILST we are very pleased that the PCT and its independent adviser appear to have accepted the idea of maintaining acute medicine, ITU and A&E on both the Worthing and St Richard's sites, it is very important to note that the proposals still leave a significant difference between the planned major general hospital site (MGH) and the planned local general hospital (LGH).

KWASH have consistently supported the idea of maintaining both acute surgery and consultant led obstetrics on both sites (although accepting that the size of the units may be different).

The new plans, however, plan for a "phased centralisation" of both these services on one site: whilst we are disappointed and worried about this, we acknowledge that the proviso that this will be in the light of emerging evidence allows the possibility of a change of emphasis in the future.

This is particularly important as we believe an A&E without acute surgical, paediatric or maternity back-up will not remain a genuine, viable A&E department as we know it.

We believe the evidence will clearly demonstrate that these services are best maintained on both acute sites.

However, if the final decision of the PCT is to centralise either of these services, it is absolutely clear that it is inconceivable to anyone reviewing all the evidence, requirements, population, geography and deprivation indices, that any single full acute surgical and full consultant maternity service could be anywhere except on the Worthing site.

This is due to the vastly higher level of services already provided, and (particularly for obstetrics) due to the much higher levels of deprivation in Worthing, which is clearly linked to perinatal and maternal risk and which requires close availability of high-class consultant-led services.

If this is the future PCT decides on (and we emphasise that we still believe the evidence will support maintaining services across both sites), KWASH remain committed to maintaining the highest quality of healthcare possible for the population of West Sussex.

In a single major site solution, this can clearly only be achieved with the major site at Worthing.

The saving grace is that the new proposals, compared with the old ones, mean that the far western population of Sussex will at least preserve their local acute medical and A&E services.

Dr Mark Signy on behalf of the the Keep Worthing and Southlands Hospitals campaign