Worthing and St Richards Hospital set to continue under one acute Trust

The two trusts running St Richard's Hospital, Chichester, and Worthing and Southland Hospitals have agreed in principle to a merger to establish a single acute NHS Trust to run the hospitals.

The trust boards have agreed that a single, strong centrally managed acute NHS Trust would be the best way to secure sustainable healthcare for the people of West Sussex.

The merger would also provide the best opportunity to achieve Foundation Trust status, which would give the new organisation more autonomy and make it accountable to local people.

The move has come following a dramatic change of direction revealed last week by Andrew Tyrie, MP for Chichester and Nick Gibb, MP for Littlehampton and Bognor Regis, with support from West Sussex County Council leader Cllr Henry Smith.

The Fit for the Future proposals were described as 'a dead duck which must be buried' with money spent in the process during the last three years as 'largely down the drain'.

For full story see West Sussex Gazette October 8