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Crawley &
Horsham mothers voice overwhelming support for retention of consultant-led
unit at PRH
As 12yr old Tom says “If it is one of the best in the country, why close it?” Mothers expressed total
satisfaction at the quality of service at the PRH. Many had arranged their
birth there, after adverse experiences at other hospitals.
The campaign found that there is much resentment, that mothers are being denied their freedom of choice, in selecting a hospital for their delivery. A widespread complaint related to the NHS bureaucracy, which made it difficult for mothers to book in at the PRH, particularly the denial of local scans, forcing expectant mothers to travel to Haywards Heath for ante natal check ups. The campaign maintains that mothers are being exposed to unnecessarily extended journeys to hospital. In 2007, over 400 Horsham mothers gave birth at the East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, despite journey times to that hospital averaging 44 minutes, double the average journey time to Haywards Heath.
“Mothers of Crawley and Horsham have it in their power to save the PRH Maternity Unit, by simply exercising their right of choice and booking for their delivery at the PRH. Not only is it the closest for the majority of mothers in Horsham, and around 40% in Crawley, but it is also one of the best rated units in the Country. Put quite simply, if all the 1,600 mothers, for whom Haywards Heath is the closest consultant-led unit, opted for the PRH, our battle would be largely won.
Mr Shanahan called upon the NHS management to respect mothers’ right to choose, by removing the obstacles to locally managed ante natal checks and scans. In their submission to the North East Review Panel, the Support the PRH Campaign will be pressing for a review of hospital catchment areas, and the removal of bureaucratic obstacles to mothers’ freedom of choice, a right that is enshrined in the Government policy “Maternity Matters”.
The new petition form can be downloaded
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The Support the Princess Royal Campaign has
spent two days canvassing the views of Crawley & Horsham residents, and
discovered widespread support for maintaining the consultant-led unit at the
PRH, and absolute dismay at the decision by the West Sussex Primary Care
Trust to close it. Over 900 residents have signed the petition to retain
this much respected unit.
The petition organiser
Patrick Shanahan says “ The NHS management have promised to review their
decision to close the PRH Maternity Unit, if births numbers increase by
1,500 annually. As there are over 5,000 births annually in Central Sussex,
within the natural catchment of the PRH, this target can easily achieved.
“The PRH Hospital
management have given the Unit a vote of confidence by announcing the
recruitment of ten additional midwives and an additional obstetric
consultant.