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Home >> Campaign news >> The threat to the PRH >> Consultation details >> What the clinicians say >> Help deliver the leaflet >> Forthcoming events >> Past events >> Send us your stories >> Online petition >> Printable petition >> Photo gallery >> Supporters >> Contact us >>	Health Secretary urged to halt consultation 17 July 2007 The Government's new Health Secretary has been urged to halt the Fit for the Future consultation into NHS hospital services in Sussex. The call comes in the light of Alan Johnson's announcement that he is undertaking a 'once in a generation review' of the NHS in England. West Sussex County Councillor, Peter Griffiths has told Mr Johnson that no further action should be taken on 'Fit for the Future' until the Government's review is complete. Peter has written to Mr Johnson in his role as Chairman of the West Sussex Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee (HOSC). He explained today: "The decision to halt the super casinos plans has shown that this Government is developing a willingness to listen. "In view of the fact that there is to be a major national review of the NHS, it is surely pointless to be looking at far reaching proposals by the Primary Care Trusts for our hospitals in Sussex?" The Government's review will be led by one of the world's leading surgeons Professor Ara Darzi, the new Health Minister who has a remit to report back before the 60th anniversary of the NHS in July 2008. Peter says in his letter to Alan Johnson: "In the light of your review I would urge you to halt the current consultation on the reconfiguration of services in West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, with no further action to be taken pending the outcome of your major review." The Health Secretary has also been asked to consider a second option if he decides to allow 'Fit for the Future' to continue. Peter wants him to look again at a decision by former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt that the PCT's proposals must be looked at by a Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) involving representatives from West Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, and East Sussex County Councils, Brighton and Hove and Portsmouth City Council. He said: "If Mr Johnson cannot agree to delay Fit for the Future, then I would like him to waive the requirement that the proposals are looked at by a joint HOSC, and instead allow this work to be undertaken by the individual Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees for the local authority areas. His letter says: "Representatives of Portsmouth or Brighton do not currently understand the complex health issues facing those in the rural areas of West Sussex. "The PCTs have allowed 18 weeks for the public consultation on their very complex proposals which affect not only a wide range of hospital based services, but also primary and community services. "Many councillors are unavailable during August reducing the amount of time they have to consider the implications of the options put forward by the PCTs. "The time available therefore to both comprehensively brief Joint Committee members on the individual needs of all the different areas affected, to enable them to undertake their responsibilities on the Joint Committee, and to receive evidence from the PCTs and other stakeholders on the proposals, is seriously compromised."