The PCT's decision to delay the implementation of its plans comes after St Richard's Hospital and Worthing Hospital agreed in
principle to merge and form one acute trust.

But the Support St Richard's campaign wants the PCT to go one step further and abandon its proposals altogether.

"We must keep up the pressure to make sure Fit For the Future is dead and buried," said co-chairman of the Support St Richard's campaign MP Andrew Tyrie.

"Behind this face-saving talk is the reality clinicians at St Richard's and Worthing appear to have reached the conclusion Fit For the Future will not work without putting patients at risk."

The boards of the two hospitals met separately on Friday and formally agreed to the principle of merging into one acute trust – with the details ironed out over the next few months.

A merger could mean both hospitals will have equal status, safeguarding the Chichester hospital's maternity, children's and emergency services.

This prompted the PCT's announcement this week it was
formally delaying its Fit For the Future plans to downgrade St Richard's and centralise some services to Worthing.

"This is a new and very significant development and we need to consider what impact it has on the Fit For the Future decision," said PCT chief executive John Wilderspin.

"While we do this, we intend to put the Fit For the Future decision formally 'on-hold'.

"Our goal has always been to ensure a robust future for providers of healthcare so West Sussex health services are safe, sustainable and meet the best standards of modern medicine. A strong merged trust on the south coast would help to ensure this is achieved."

The Support St Richard's Campaign welcomed the news, but said it was vital to keep up the pressure, and ensure the judicial review and the referral to the secretary of state and the independent reconfiguration panel remain on track and are not delayed by the PCT's actions.

Leading consultant at St Richard's Hospital David Allen said: "The campaign would like to see the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) continue with its referral to the independent panel and the secretary of state because unless we do, Fit For the Future could reappear in due course."

Hospital campaigner Abigail Rowe added: "The fight isn't over yet."

The district council has pledged to continue with its application for a judicial review. The JHOSC has yet to make its decision on the referral.

What they say...

MPs Andrew Tyrie and Nick Gibb: "The decision to merge the trusts is very welcome but could and should have been taken several months ago.

"The Fit for the Future process needs formally to be abandoned so our constituents can have the deep uncertainty, still lingering, removed and can have confidence the provision of care in both hospitals will be led by clinicians with full trauma, A&E and maternity, as now. Nothing less will do.

"This whole process has swung from between farce and scandal and the time is long overdue for the clinicians and nurses of these two excellent hospitals to concentrate on providing the best possible care to patients without worrying about their future and the reconfiguration idea."

Chairman at Royal West Sussex NHS Trust (St Richard's Hospital), Susan Pyper, and chairman at Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust, Tom Robson: "The two trust boards have now agreed in principle the best way to deliver sustainable healthcare services in West Sussex in the future is to consider a merger of the two existing hospital trusts. This reorganisation of the way the hospitals are managed would enable the best elements of each organisation to be embedded into one strong acute trust for West Sussex with patient safety and stakeholder involvement at its heart."

Leader of Chichester District Council, Myles Cullen: "The district council has always maintained the FFF decision was fundamentally flawed and not in the interests of the residents of Chichester district.

"The district council provided a very large volume of evidence to support the case for St Richard's Hospital.

"The council pressed for the FFF decision to be referred to the secretary of state and the investigation by the independent reconfiguration panel should continue. We want to see the FFF proposals withdrawn by the PCT, not just suspended."

Henry Smith, West Sussex County Council leader: "While we welcome this good news we will wait and see what happens with the merger and the
overall effect this will have on the Fit For the Future process.

"We deeply regret that there has been so much public cost involved and upset caused to West Sussex communities throughout the whole process.

"The joint health overview and scrutiny committee decided to refer the Fit for the Future process to the health secretary following its July meeting as it did not believe the proposals were in the best interest of the health service in West Sussex and the surrounding area.

"It is now a matter for the joint committee to decide what happens with the referral and whether it should proceed at this stage."

Your views

I was very pleased to see the Observer exclusive about the future of St Richard's hospital, and particularly the headline the 'merger will mean the end of cutbacks'.

However, while not wishing to be a Jeremiah, I caution against premature unbridled joy.

It is clear the Chichester and Worthing Hospital Trusts have agreed – in principle – to merge with effect from April 1, 2009, and that the single larger Trust should then apply for Foundation Trust status.

This has to be a good move, but a great deal of detailed debate has still to take place, and the balance of acute activity between the two sites is not yet a done deal.

I say this because I attended the board meeting at St Richard's last Friday and, when I asked Andrew Liles, the St Richard's chief executive, if the quote from him in the Observer that 'it would not mean any changes to patient services' were true, I did not get an unequivocal answer.

Indeed, he would not even specifically confirm full A&E and consultant-led maternity and paediatric departments would definitely remain at Chichester, though he did say the two boards would be seeking the best locations for all the various activities.

He also confirmed the boards were looking for lessons to be learned from the recent East Sussex IRP Report which had recommended consultant-led maternity departments at both Eastbourne and Hastings.

I also raised the question of the Sword of Damocles hanging over St Richard's in the shape of the PCT's Fit for the Future decisions, and it is clear this threat has not yet gone away.

The PCT still wishes to implement its proposals, and there is as yet no indication it is prepared to change its mind.

In summary, while the prospects look good, the devil is in the detail, and I recommend that while we should all welcome the proposal to create a single hospital trust on the south coast of West Sussex, we should reserve judgment about the impacts and benefits until we know all the implications.

Derek Waller, Surrey Wharf, Arundel

I have been in on the campaign to save St Richard's from being downgraded right from the start and have attended the various meetings and to read the paragraph from the PCT that 'we listened to what the public told us...' nearly made me choke!

Sandy Rushton, Legion Way, Bracklesham Bay

Great news. I cannot bear to think what would happen if Fit for the Future were to go ahead. West Sussex needs all its hospitals.

Sallie Denby, Princess Avenue, Bognor Regis



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