Passions fly as health officials put on spot

Two representatives of West Sussex Primary Care Trust '“ community and care services director Carol Gareze and corporate services director Brian Hughes '“ were present at the Six Villages Sports Centre to see the determination of villagers.

The first arrivals at the session, held by the joint downland area committee of county, district and parish councils, summed up the mood of those present.

They were passionate in their support of St Richard's Hospital at Chichester where the A&E department is under threat from proposals put forward by the PCT.

Lesley Gladman (45), of Woodgate, said: 'What happens now to St Richard's affects my 16-year-old son as much as myself. It's for his generation that I'm worried, because once the department has gone, it will not be put back.'

Her mother, Margaret Collins (72), of Nyton Road, Aldingbourne, stated: 'We want St Richard's to stay as it is. Two of my four children '“ my sons '“ were born there.

'Keeping the hospital as it is is all about accessibility.'

Westergate resident Pauline Winterton (62), of Meadow Way, stressed: 'We don't want the A&E department to be closed. Lives will be lost if that is the case because of the distance involved in getting casualties to other hospitals.'

County Cllr Christina Freeman, the meeting's chairman, said its purpose was to enable residents to question the PCT in their community.

The meeting's outcome will be given to senior county councillors so they are aware of peoples' views when they formally respond to the health service proposals on October 12.

West Sussex Primary Care Trust has put forward three options for the future of health care around the county. These would lead to just one major accident and emergency department being created from the present three units at St Richard's, Worthing and Haywards Heath.

The PCT says the changes are needed to take account of the way healthcare is changing, with more emphasis on community care, and medical treatments improving.

Last night's meeting was the second of the special series to be held by the county council's local committees around West Sussex to give residents the chance to have a say.

The next will be at the Arun Leisure Centre in Felpham at 6pm on September 19 '“ a week after the NHS meeting at 7pm at the Alexandra Theatre.