Health secretary backs Worthing and Southlands’ trust bid

A BID for special trust status by Worthing and Southlands Hospitals has been backed by the health secretary.

The Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Worthing Hospital, St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester and Southlands Hospital in Shoreham, has applied to become a Foundation Trust.

The hospitals trust said getting the status would mean it would gain greater freedom to set its own priorities and give its patients, staff and local community a stronger voice in deciding how services should develop in future.

For the full story, see this week’s Herald and Gazette (Thursday, June 28 edition).