BREAKING NEWS: County leader condemns hospital downgrades for West Sussex
West Sussex County Council leader Henry Smith has renewed his attack on the decision to reduce hospital services across West Sussex.
West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT) Board confirmed the decision today(Wednesday, June 4) to make Worthing Hospital the major general hospital for West Sussex.
This means it will provide emergency surgery, inpatient services for children and house the only consultant-led maternity unit in the county.
St Richard's Hospital in Chichester and the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath both retain some form of A&E services, but will be downgraded to become local general hospitals and will have midwife-led maternity units.
Failed
Mr Smith said: "As a county council we have stressed from the start of the Fit for the Future process that we did not want to see a reduction in services anywhere in the county, to any of our residents.
"Nor do we want to see residents having to travel outside of the county more frequently to get hospital services which they would have received in West Sussex before, but I am sad to say the end result appears to have failed on both counts.
"We are especially concerned that there will be only one consultant-led maternity unit in the county, which will give a very difficult choice for expectant mums in West Sussex who may now be forced to have their children outside the county.
"We call on the PCT to give a public commitment that no changes are to take place at any hospital until arrangements are in place for the safe transition of all services."
Assessment
The joint health overview and scrutiny committee, formed of representatives from the county council and the neighbouring authorities affected by the Fit for the Future proposals, will be assessing the final decisions at its next meeting on Wednesday, June 25.
If the joint committee does not agree with the decisions and how they were made, it can refer them to the Secretary of State for Health.
Click here for more on the Save Our Hospitals campaign.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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