Those were the words from Professor Graeme Catto, who has urged health bosses to maintain vital A&E services at all three West Sussex hospitals facing health cuts.

At last week's board meeting, West Sussex Primary Care Trust reassured the public it had listened and said every single response received during the Fit for the Future consultation period was read, logged electronically and independently analysed.

The trust confirmed the public's response to the consultation has helped shape the decision making process for the future of health services.

It was revealed the PCT received 11,645 pieces of correspondence pre-consultation (before the three original options were announced) and 38,925 responses during the public consultation itself.

Half of the consultation responses were considered as unique responses (16,927) and the rest were bulk responses which included petitions, postcards and coupons which people had signed indicating their views to the proposals.

John Wilderspin, chief executive of the West Sussex PCT, said: "We have learned many lessons from the public consultation and we will take into account the feedback from the public to develop and improve our engagement and communication with them in the next phases of the Fit for the Future programme and beyond."

Professor Catto, who has been independently assessing the options for the PCT, spoke to Herald. Click on the green button above to see what he said.