Babies will die, fear hospital campaigners

There is already a top-class specialist unit at St Richard's '“ but that will be axed when the hospital is downgraded.

Worthing knew it had to replace the unit '“ but secretly thrashed out a deal with Brighton to send the most-needy babies there instead.

Now the PCT has told Worthing the deal is unacceptable '“ and ordered the hospital to come up with a plan to create a high-dependency unit to replace the axed service in Chichester.

But campaigners fear it is all too late and that tiny babies will die before the new unit is set up, which could take five years.

"It is absolutely diabolical the PCT is closing down a unit which not only is established but which has been proven to be very, very good," said Abigail Rowe from the Support St Richard's campaign.

"This risks the lives of tiny babies who need such specialised care and ventilating through the night."

Currently Worthing has a low-grade level-one special baby care unit while St Richard's has a higher level two high-dependency unit able to care for babies who need to be ventilated and require specialised care.

When the PCT recommended Worthing becomes the county's only major general hospital, it insisted a replacement level two unit was provided.

But the Observer can reveal officials from Worthing and Brighton met in April where they agreed Worthing would keep its level-one unit, while babies requiring more specialised care be transferred to Brighton's level-three unit.

The PCT was in the dark about the agreement when it made its recommendation to site the MGH in Worthing '“ prompting its ultimatum.

Chichester campaigners are now pleading with the PCT to see sense and re-examine its recommendation that Worthing and not Chichester be the major hospital for the county.

Official figures show the Surrey and Sussex special care baby network has the lowest mortality rate in the country. Now Support St Richard's campaigners fear lives will be lost if the current set-up is 'destroyed'.

"The PCT has completely failed to take into consideration this is a sub-speciality which takes years to set up," Mrs Rowe said.

"They are talking about time scales of 18 months to two years, which is just impossible. It just shows they really have no idea."

Chairman of St Richard's Hospital Susan Pyper also pleaded the case for the baby care unit at a meeting of the joint overview and scrutiny committee which is reviewing the PCT's decision.

"We have a level-two neonatal unit in one of the best maternity units in the country," she said.

In a statement, the West Sussex PCT said: "We have assurances the level of neonatal services to be provided at Worthing will be at least as good as the current level of neonatal care provided in West Sussex."

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