Worthing Hospital consultation delayed again

The chance for people to express their views over the plans was originally due to happen last October.

It was then delayed until the new year and last month it was announced the proposals would not be published until after the May council elections.

This week, West Sussex Primary Care Trust chief executive John Wilderspin revealed the consultation will not take place before June '“ nearly a year after the Herald first exposed the worrying health service shake-up plans.

When the last delay was announced, Worthing mayor Tom Wye said he was "sickened". Now Mr Wye, also the chairman of campaign group KWASH, says the public has a right to know why it has taken so long.

"If the PCT think the long delay will take the heat out of the KWASH campaign they are going to be disappointed," he said.

Some campaigners, however, hope the delay could mean health bosses have finally taken on board the furious protests against plans for just one major hospital in the county.

Peter Bottomley, MP for Worthing West, said: "If the PCT, under orders from the health authority, are now prepared to allow the consultation of maintaining two major hospitals on the south coast, the extra weeks are acceptable."

Worthing Hospital consultant Lui Forni said he hopes the delay reflects the local clinicians' views and has sparked a re-think of what is the best health care.

Mark Signy, cardiac care consultant, also hopes the delay means the health authority suspects the current plans would not work.

However, he has questioned whether the delay could be in the hope that the "disenchantment and public/clinical outrage" will disappear.

Fears have been rife over the Fit for the Future consultation, which has focused on the idea of creating one major general hospital at either St Richard's Hospital in Chichester or Worthing Hospital '“ with the other losing services such as A and E and maternity.

In Worthing, various protest events have been held under the organisation of KWASH '“ Keep Worthing And Southlands.

Doctors have warned the loss of emergency services at Worthing could cost lives, grateful patients have told their stories and MPs have refused to back down to the threats.

The latest delay has been put down to the time it will take to establish a joint overview and scrutiny committee at West Sussex County Council, with whom the PCT is keen to work.

When it does start, the consultation period will last for 17 weeks.

For more on this story, see the Hospital Crisis special in the Worthing Herald.

Have your say

We want to know what you think about the constand delays to the public consultation into the hospital plans.

Log on to www.worthingtoday.co.uk and answer the question - Do you think health bosses are taking too long to start the consultation?