Putting the case for Worthing

That was an actual news story introduction that might have been used to denote the demotion of Worthing Hospital.

Instead, it appeared on the front page of Thursday's Chichester Observer, and the hospital affected was, of course, St Richard's.

This is no time to crow over Worthing's success in being chosen as the only major general hospital in West Sussex, a decision which was due to be rubber-stamped by the PCT at yesterday's approval meeting at Copthorne.

The choice of Worthing as a major general hospital (MGH) means that St Richard's will lose specialist services, which will be centralised to Worthing.

Many Chichester area patients will suffer journeys of more than an hour to reach Portsmouth or Worthing, the seriousness of which could be exacerbated in emergency situations.

The threatened effect of such repercussions are, of course, only too familiar to people in the Worthing catchment area.

It's what local campaigners have been fighting to prevent for past two years.

A main thrust of Worthing's campaign was that neither town should be deprived of vital services, but it seemed inevitable that either Worthing or Chichester would be a big loser.

St Richard's campaigners were still fighting yesterday to get the PCT decision reversed, claiming that "political correctness" had overcome common sense.

Yet the basic facts of Worthing's age-demography, geographical position and above-average deprivation were factors which would tell in the end, despite St Richard's appearing to be the front runner when the Fit for the Future consultation process started in 2006.

Worthing's case had, however, still to be prepared and presented.

The town's combined efforts, involving the public, hospital consultants and other staff, MPs, and the local press, resulted in a superbly orchestrated campaign which convinced the decision-makers that Worthing had to be the right choice for an MGH.

Worthing has come a long way since it started to become a fashionable watering place in the 18th century.

It had, from Roman days, always been a poor relation to Chichester, with its 900-year-old cathedral.

But the railway and better roads led eventually to Worthing ousting Chichester in strategic importance when it came to a vital issue such as major general hospital status.

This is a lesson which must not be forgotten.

The traumatic battle to save our hospital has, at least, reinforced the view that Worthing DOES count for something, and will continue to do so if all sections of its community pull together in the same manner that has been so evident during the past two years.

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