Concerns over future of specialist services at leading Sussex hospital

Proposals have been put forward to merge the hospital with a new organisation to be formed by Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals and Western Sussex Hospitals Foundation Trust.

But a newly-formed action group called Save Our Specialist Services - SOSS - is concerned over the timing of the merger amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesman said: “The work involved in a merger will place tremendous stress on staff already stretched to breaking point.”

They say that the proposals do not amount to a merger but “an acquisition and as such will make QVH an inferior partner, vulnerable to the whims of a Super Trust who have very different priorities to that of a provider of specialist services.”

But a spokeswoman for the Queen Victoria Hospital said the hospital needed to consider a possible merger to secure its future. She said: “Queen Victoria Hospital provides world-leading services and outstanding care; we are also the second smallest trust in England we face a number of challenges related to our size.”

She added: “We are clear that we will only merge with other hospitals if it helps us to further develop and invest in our services, maintain and build on our excellent record for patient experience, clinical outcomes and safety. continue to provide services to patients from the wide area we cover currently, continue to deliver world class research and innovation and secure the future of the hospital in East Grinstead providing services such as the minor injuries unit for local people.

“In November our Board of Directors committed to developing a strategic case, setting out in detail whether merger would help us to protect our specialist services. We expect to consider that in April 2021.

“Should the Boards of both QVH and the new organisation formed by BSUH/Western decide to proceed to full business case, the earliest possible date for merger would be October 2021.”