The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee scrutinised the whole Fit For the Future process during a lenghy meeting before making its decision.

Sweeping changes proposed by the county's Primary Care Trust - including drastic reductions in services at St Richard's Hospital - are to be referred direct to secretary of state for health Alan Johnson.

They were condemned as 'catastrophic' and 'disastrous' during the meeting.

Mr Johnson has the power to order an inquiry by an independent review panel.

The referral was unanimously agreed by the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee set up to examine the PCT's 'fit for the future' proposals.

Members were applauded by a large audience as they backed a motion moved by committee chairman Cllr Peter Griffiths.

This declared: "On the evidence available, the committee believes that the decisions made by the PCT regarding the future configuration of acute services for the people of West Sussex and surrounding areas are not in the best interests of the health service in this area."

Cllr James Walsh said that while he welcomed an increase in clinical services proposed for Worthing Hospital, he was not prepared to support a PCT proposal for a whole raft of reductions at other hospitals.

"The improvement of Worthing is effectively being carried out at the expense of two-thirds of the population of West Sussex - served by the Princess Royal Hospital and St Richard's," he added.

Cllr Andrew Barrett-Miles said there were still outstanding issues regarding access and particularly the capacity of the ambulance service to deliver the proposed model.

"I don't think the PCT has looked at other options for consultant-led maternity services at the Princess Royal and St Richard's in enough depth," he said.
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West Sussex MPs and surgeons lined up at the meeting to condemn the PCT proposals, and to support a referral to the secretary of state.
David Allen, a consultant surgeon at St Richard's, described the PCT decision as 'disastrous."

"If not challenged, it will be catastrophic for the people of West Sussex and will see the demise of many acute services in the county," he warned.

Advice from clinicians had been ignored by the PCT, he added.
Chichester MP Andrew Tyrie said the proposals would be a catastrophic mistake for the whole of West Sussex if carried out.

The decision was too important to be left to the PCT, and too complicated and controversial, and the need for an independent review was overwhelming.

"There's no public support for this right across West Sussex, and public confidence in the process has collapsed," he declared.
Mr Tyrie told the committee: "What we have witnessed over the last two years has been a colossal waste of money."

Nick Gibb, MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, said his constituents' confidence in St Richard's had never been higher, and their confidence in the PCT never lower.

"The whole process has been a costly and wasteful exercise based on premises not accepted by the public," he said.

Nick Herbert, MP for Arundel and South Downs, said the evidence base of the proposed changes was highly questionable.

"We are seeing a serious hollowing out of health services in West Sussex," he warned.

Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, added: "We have three excellent hospitals in West Sussex, and if it ain't bust, don't fix it. We are all losers in this process."

To watch a webcast of the meeting click here.


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