Be assured '“ we are committed to hospital for Littlehampton

I WOULD like to respond to Margaret Boulton's letter, headlined "And still no mention of our own hospital" (Gazette, October 16).
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Oct 2008, 09:44 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 01:27 BST

The letter criticised the Fit for the Future process and suggested that the money spent on Fit for the Future had been "a dreadful waste" by the PCT.

I would like to clarify the Fit for the Future process has not been a waste of time or money.

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We delivered one of the largest consultations ever undertaken by the NHS, we ensured that the consultation was comprehensive and followed best practice, with over 35,000 responses being received.

The total cost spent to the end of March, 2008, was 1.4m, representing 0.14 per cent of our overall health budget, which we believe is justified to give everyone the chance to be involved in discussing plans for the future of their health services.

Fit for the Future brought local clinicians and the NHS together to look at the best way forward for the NHS locally.

The PCT and its clinical advisers continue to believe that making sure patient care is clinically sustainable and affordable for the long term is the right priority.

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Most people would agree that a strong, merged acute trust on the south coast would be a good thing and that's why we're pleased that Fit for the Future has helped to bring those merger discussions about.

The letter then suggested plans for Littlehampton Hospital may have been sidelined, while attention was given to the Fit for the Future process.

This is not the case.

West Sussex PCT remains completely committed to ensuring the delivery of the hospital facility in Littlehampton.

It is important to the PCT for local people to have this hospital.

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People can be assured work is ongoing and we will ensure local people and stakeholders are updated as soon as we have further details.

Brian Hughes,

director, West Sussex Primary Care Trust,

The Causeway,

Goring-by-Sea

NOTE: All letters must include a name and address which can be withheld by request.

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