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MP writes
to Sir Graeme Catto over North East Review
Mid Sussex MP has written the following letter to Sir Graeme Catto, who will
be carrying out a review of health services in north east West Sussex for
the Primary Care Trust:
13th
May 2008 Dear Sir Graeme, West
Sussex Primary Care Trust - North East County Review
I am writing simply to put down a marker with you and your Review Panel. As you know, both the Support the Princess Royal
Hospital Campaign and I have been actively involved in seeking to represent
public views and concerns to the PCT in connection with the Fit for the
Future exercise. We are heartened that the PCT has had the good sense to
adopt your recommendation for the preservation of A&E facilities at the two
hospitals in the county to be designated LGH-plus (which, by the way, we
believe should now revert to a DGH designation), but we continue to be
concerned about the outstanding issue of maternity services – and, more
particularly, the level of service which is to be maintained at the PRH in
Mid Sussex. You will know that we are anxious to retain a full obstetric
service but, at absolute minimum, it would be profoundly wrong if the PRH
was left with anything less than a stand-alone midwife-led unit. That
downgrade of itself would mean the displacement of some 2,000 births from
the PRH to other less convenient (and we believe, less safe) venues. To this end, and without in any way seeking to
pre-judge the final outcome of the FFF determination process, we are
concerned to have a real voice in connection with the forthcoming NE County
review. We believe that women and their babies in central and northern Mid
Sussex need local care, and that your review will need to look urgently at
the possibility of there being more than one stand-alone midwife-led unit to
cover the rapidly growing populations of northern Horsham, Crawley
and northern Mid Sussex – assuming that the PRH loses its obstetric and
neo-natal function. This, of course, would have to be funded outside the
envelope set aside for FFF changes, but we believe that that should
not impose an insuperable problem. In summary, we should be grateful if you would formally
note our interest as stakeholders and would ensure please that your
supporting staff keep us updated with information and afford us adequate
opportunity to make robust representations to the panel at the appropriate
time. Thank you in anticipation of your response. Yours sincerely, Nicholas Soames MP |
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