Campaigners are planning a rally to protest against the possible closure of their hospital.

Health bosses have told senior medical staff they are not ruling out shuttingWorthing Hospital.

That would save £44 million and help address the NHS's mounting debt crisis in Sussex.

The move could lead to dozens of job losses and would leave patients with a 15-mile journey to the nearest hospital.

Campaigner Jeanne Gaul, 49, of Sompting, is calling on people to sign her petition asking for the hospital to be kept open and for all services to be retained.

Mrs Gaul, a full-time carer for her disabled daughter Sam, eight, said: "I am horrified this is even being considered. If these changes go ahead, loads of people are going to have to make their way to Brighton or Chichester for help.

"My daughter needs to be close to an A&E. What is going to happen if she has a critical emergency and we have to travel miles?

"It isn't just me. I'm doing this because any changes at Worthing are going to affect so many different people.

"The whole thing is madness and I am hoping to hear from as many people as possible interested in getting involved and helping organise a rally."

Worthing's MPs have vowed the "mother and father" of all battles if a recommendation to shut the hospital or cut services is made when a formal consultation is launched in the autumn.

Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority is reviewing all healthservices in Sussex as part of a move to save millions of pounds.

It insists no decisions have been made and the review is being carried out to encourage debate. A wide range of options is beingconsidered.

These include downgrading some hospitals by transferring A&E, maternity and other services which would mean longer journeys for patients.

Earlier this week officials from the health authority, Worthing and Southlands Hospitals' NHS Trust and Adur, Arun and Worthing Primary Care Trust (PCT) met hospital workers.

They set out why changes were being considered, which hospitals could be affected and the long-term plans to provide more health services in the community instead of at hospitals.

The PCT chief executive Steve Phoenix said closure was a potential option but this did not mean it was planned.

He said: "The only thing I can definitely say is that no change is not an option. We cannot keep spending money we haven't got."

Senior staff at Worthing believe they are in a face-off with St Richard's Hospital in Chichester - with either of the two hospitals facing cuts in services.

In a letter to Worthing MPs Peter Bottomley and Tim Loughton, health authority chief executive Candy Morris said: "I believe we should not seek to sensationalise the debate because doing so causes unnecessary concern."

Mr Loughton said: "Both Peter Bottomley and I are being deluged with letters of concern and it is only right we raise those concerns and speak up for those people.

"We are putting down clear markers that this will be opposed and fought."

Mr Bottomley said: "I have told the strategic health authority previously that any attempts to downgrade will be resisted in the strongest possible terms. "

To contact Mrs Gaul, call 01903 605390.