Hospital building delayed - shock

Campaigners who lobbied long and hard for the new hospital to be built in the town were devastated to hear this week that the scheme has been delayed for six months.

The announcement, against the background of a deficit of 85m built up by NHS trusts in Sussex and Surrey, has raised worrying doubts over the future of the hospital scheme, although, ironically, the trust behind the project is not in debt.

However, Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority (SHA) decided last week it could not approve the project in the current financial climate and told Adur, Arun and Worthing Primary Care Trust (PCT) that there would have to be a six-month delay.

That decision was taken just days before the PCT was due to sign a contract with the hospital's developers, with work due to start on the site next month.

PCT chief executive Steve Phoenix said: "I can understand the reasons for the SHA's position; although our PCT isn't in debt, the wider NHS is in a serious financial position as are our local partners at Worthing and Southlands NHS Trust. If we're to tackle this very difficult situation we must review all plans and all developments."

Ann Thomson, chairman of the League of Friends of Littlehampton Hospital, said: "I'm devastated, but not in the least bit surprised. I'm not at all optimistic that this is only a temporary delay. I always hope for the best, but the way things are going just now, I don't know."

Former Littlehampton mayor Rosemary Orpin, who famously once chained herself to Littlehampton Hospital when it was threatened with closure almost 20 years ago, was "absolutely horrified" by the announcement.

"I just couldn't believe it, and I still can't. We have all fought so hard for this. We have been given so many promises, and they have demolished the old hospital, so we thought everything was going ahead.

"I can't understand why our hospital should be affected when it's the acute trust (Worthing and Southlands Hospitals) which is in financial trouble.

"The sale of land at Zachary Merton Hospital was going to cover the cost of the new hospital, and then the PCT came up with the idea of building it as a private finance (PFI) scheme, so why, suddenly, is the money not there, when we have been reassured it was?

"I have real concern now that it might not go ahead. I have always thought that until the first bricks were laid, I wouldn't believe it was going to happen and now this has happened."

Arun councillor Alan Gammon, the new chairman of health watchdog the Adur, Arun and Worthing Patient and Public Involvement Forum, said he too would be seeking answers from NHS officials about the funding of the new hospital.

"I'm very disappointed for the people of Littlehampton. The PCT rushed in and demolished the old hospital, taking it out of use, and now they announce this delay. It's like promising someone something, then taking it away."

Project director for the new hospital, Brian Hughes said: "The good news is that all the detailed planning has been completed and once we're given the green light, the scheme would be ready to go."

He admitted that colleagues at the PCT were understandably disappointed with the delay. In the meantime Zachary Merton Hospital, Rustington, would continue to provide services for both communities.