THE future of the children's ward at a hospital was thrown into further doubt today.

Four doctors needed to run a slimmed-down service have still not been recruited for the Princess Royal in

Haywards Heath, despite a rescue package agreed by West Sussex Health Authority several months ago.

And hospital chiefs who had hoped to recruit trained doctors by now admit a decision on whether the children's ward will stay open after February 1 has yet to be taken.

The doctors are needed because accreditation for junior doctors who usually run the service has been withdrawn, meaning no paediatric services could otherwise be run at the hospital.

But West Sussex Health Authority agreed a reduced service, possibly involving no overnight stays in the children's ward, could be run if four graded doctors who did not need training were found.

The hospital might have to consider hiring agency doctors but two weeks ago the board of the Mid Sussex NHS Trust was told it needed to reduce the extra money paid for agency staff to ease a budget deficit of about £500,000.

If the doctors are recruited the children's casualty and maternity unit would be kept but it is likely there would be no overnight stays.

Stefan Cantore, spokesman for Mid Sussex NHS Trust, said today he was "very confident" the doctors would be found.

But he added: "The pattern of care is changing quite dramatically. Fewer and fewer children are being admitted because they can be cared for in other ways, getting cared for on the day or being discharged and treated at home.

"It's very expensive running a ward, particularly when the cost per child admitted is growing significantly.

"We have to reduce our costs and it's a difficult balancing act. If we can spend taxpayers' money more effectively caring for children on a day to day basis or in the community, then we need to do that."

The delay was criticised by the Burgess Hill 21 group, campaigning for the retention of essential services. Spokesman Anne Jones said: "Now there is a risk that the ward could be closed, which I think would be alarming. People would have to go to Redhill or Crawley.

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