St Richard's Hospital could still be downgraded

This warning was given at a meeting of Chichester District Council on Tuesday afternoon.

Local concerns are focused on the future of acute surgery, paediatrics and maternity at St Richard's, which many people had hoped were saved from the Fit for the Future threat as a result of the merger of Chichester and Worthing NHS hospital trusts.

Leader Cllr Myles Cullen said 'many suspicions' about the future of services at the excellent hospital had not diminished.

He was responding to a question from council health portfolio holder Cllr Heather Caird, who said the PCT board was now expected to assess proposals from the merged hospital trust in November.

The PCT had asked if the district council would defer its request for a High Court judicial review until the assessment had taken place.

Cllr Cullen said the PCT continued to drive its original Fit for the Future goals, which the district council and the residents of Chichester felt would seriously degrade services in the district.

As a result of the various pressures put on it, the PCT had agreed to put a decision on hold. It had also had an indication from the government that the decision might be 'called in'.

A key event in the final PCT outcome would be commissioning decisions, and the newly-merged West Sussex hospital trust.

While the hospital trust initiative was supported by the district council, there were many suspicions concerning the future configuration of facilities, especially at St Richard's.

"I believe various shifts that are mooted, and the consideration of the commissioning criteria have not really diminished these suspicions," said Cllr Cullen.

"We must be wary that the original PCT objectives may still be very permanent.

"I would say things are opaque rather than transparent, although this may be a personal perception."

The district council was concerned about the process of arriving at the PCT Fit for the Future decision, and this led to its request for a High Court judicial review.

"This review remains on the books," he told the council.

The PCT had asked for a postponement of the review, and the council's executive board would look at this.

The full district council would then make a decision on whether to continue with the judicial review, or to request a postponement.

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