Originally it was thought the PCT was in the dark over the deal struck in April between Worthing and Brighton to provide only a low-level neonatal unit at Worthing, and send tiny babies needing more specialist care to the East Sussex hospital.

But now chief executive of the West Sussex PCT John Wilderspin has said he knew about the agreement before the meeting on June 4, when the board decided to make Worthing the MGH and downgrade the Chichester hospital, including its top-class high-dependency baby care unit.

He said the knowledge Worthing did not want to provide the higher-level unit should not have been a factor in the decision-making process because the PCT had dictated the major general hospital must provide a higher-level unit.

But he told the Observer ongoing discussions about the numbers of babies which would be cared for and confusion between consultants and staff at both hospitals was 'distracting'.

"That was not helpful," he said. "I did know about the (April) meeting before we met on June 4 but at that meeting we decided the MGH must provide a level 2a (high-dependency) service."

Abigail Rowe from the Support St Richard's campaign said she was 'absolutely disgusted' at the revelation.

"How can the public trust the PCT when they have made their decision knowing these two hospitals were proposing worse services?

"The idea of Fit For the Future was that services were supposed to be better in West Sussex, not worse."




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