The justification by West Sussex Primary Care Trust’s chief executive of the Fit For The Future consultation that it “led to the merger of the two hospital trusts to form one large trust” does not bear close scrutiny (The Argus, December 21).
Why was the virtue of such a merger (between Worthing and Southlands and St Richard’s) not vigorously explored at the outset?
Also, when the Department of Health insisted all NHS hospital trusts prepare to apply for foundation trust status, they also required the prior merger of unviable trusts.
Whichever hospital trust “lost out” in the Fit For The Future consultation was expected to become unviable and therefore forced into a merger. Why was this not anticipated?
What was the purpose of a consultation whose outcome was huge public feeling against reductions in services at any hospital which the PCT initially ignored?
It is hard to escape the conclusion the PCT has been guilty of muddled thinking resulting in considerable costs, dislocation and anxiety that could have been avoided.
Brenda Reeves, St Keyna Avenue, Hove
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here