A patients' watchdog has attacked campaigns

to save a mid Sussex acc-ident and emergency unit.

Brighton, Hove and Lewes Community Health Council said the campaigns had "totally missed" the major impact that other changes suggested in the review of care threatening A&E would have on residents in East Sussex.

The Argus and residents across Sussex have been campaigning to save the A&E department at the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH), in Haywards Heath, which could be downgraded as part of a review of medical care.

Impact Health bosses are considering moving some emergency cases, including car crash victims, from the PRH to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, as part of the Central Sussex Partnership Programme.

Some patients could also have to travel from Brighton to Haywards Heath for services like women's care, outpatients' care and elective surgery.

CHC chief officer Mike Collinson said: "The greatest impact of any changes to services arising will be on residents of Brighton and Hove. We have just undertaken a project to see how long the journey takes by public transport from various parts of our area.

"The journey can take up to four hours - a trip many of our residents will have to undertake if services are moved from Brighton hospitals to the PRH."

Mr Collinson said by focusing on one small part of discussions the campaigns were doing a great disservice to the 250,000 residents of Brighton and Hove who were likely to see far more changes than the 140,000 residents who used the PRH.

The CHC has organised a meeting to allow Brighton and Hove residents to find out about the impact of potential changes. Representatives will be present to answer concerns. The meeting is at Hove Town Hall on October 4 at 7.30pm.

Health chiefs say hospital services must be more centralised. They argue the move would mean doctors get to see a wider variety of ailments so that their skills stay honed and specialities flourish.