IN response to the decision being made regarding Littlehampton Hospital, I may have misunderstood completely, but from the onset, we were not going to be provided with a hospital at all.
We have, I am sure, envisaged a hospital with an A&E and related departments and staff to cover them, but the provision of a mere 20 beds, with limited parking, was to be built under the umbrella of a “community hospital”, a different service entirely.
We have an ever-expanding older age group, and an increasing sizeable population, with current building plans, generally for a younger age group.
We are now, after all these years and much money being wasted, not being offered a service to care and provide for all these people.
Most of us are aware of the failure of providing quality care for people in their own homes, having had experience of witnessing the unfortunate state our elderly are finding themselves in.
One also fears for any age group who have to battle their way on an increasingly choked road network, to travel to Worthing or Chichester hospitals for accidents or treatments.
We are now expected to travel further.
Has anyone visited Zachary Merton Hospital in Rustington recently?
This is a wonderful establishment providing health and social care facilities, and with space for extending – a community hospital already functioning well, with limited resources.
It would naturally be an asset for Littlehampton to also have this service, but from remarks I have heard, some people felt they were going to be provided with a “full-blown” hospital, and it appears they were misled.
To have procured a more sizeable plot, with car parking, and build a “proper” hospital to service the needs of our ever-increasing population would be a start in a more positive direction.
We don’t need an enormous building, but we have contributed, and and are still contributing, for this service, which is long overdue.
Hazel Langridge
Parry Drive
Rustington
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