THE Government's new Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, has this week been urged to halt the 'Fit for the Future' consultation into NHS hospital services in Sussex. The call comes following Mr Johnson's recent announcement, that he is undertaking a 'once in a generation review' of the NHS in England. West Sussex County Councillor Peter Griffiths, chairman of the West Sussex Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee, has told Mr Johnson, no further action should be taken on it for the Future until the Government's review is complete. Mr Griffiths said: "The decision to halt the super casinos plans has shown that this Government is developing a willingness to listen. "In view of the fact that there is to be a major national review of the NHS, it is surely pointless to be looking at far reaching proposals by the Primary Care Trusts for our hospitals in Sussex?" The Government's review will be led by Professor Ara Darzi, one of the world's leading surgeons, the new Health Minister, who has instructions to report back before the 60th anniversary of the NHS, in July 2008. In his letter to the Health Secretary Mr Griffiths, said: "In the light of your review I would urge you to halt the current consultation on the reconfiguration of services in West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, with no further action to be taken pending the outcome of your major review." The Health Secretary has also been asked to consider a second option if he decides to allow Fit for the Future to continue. Mr Griffiths wants him to look again at a decision by former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt that the PCT's proposals must be looked at by a Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC), involving representatives from West Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, and East Sussex County Councils, Brighton and Hove and Portsmouth City Council. He said: "If Mr Johnson cannot agree to delay Fit for the Future, then I would like him to waive the requirement that the proposals are looked at by a joint HOSC, and instead allow this work to be undertaken by the individual Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees for the local authority areas. "Representatives of Portsmouth or Brighton do not currently understand the complex health issues facing those in the rural areas of West Sussex. "The PCTs have allowed 18 weeks for the public consultation on their very complex proposals which affect not only a wide range of hospital based services, but also primary and community services. "Many councillors are unavailable during August, reducing the amount of time they have to consider the implications of the options put forward by the PCTs. "The time available therefore, to both comprehensively brief Joint Committee members on the individual needs of all the different areas affected, to enable them to undertake their responsibilities on the Joint Committee, and to receive evidence from the PCTs and other stakeholders on the proposals, is seriously compromised." l The difference between Accident and Emergency and Urgent Care Centres will be explained in full at the second meeting of the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) on Wednesday, July 25. At its first meeting the Joint Committee, set up to investigate the Fit for the Future proposals, asked West Sussex and Brighton and Hove Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to provide further information on a number of key areas including: l A clear definition of the different types of hospitals outlined in the proposals and the services each hospital will provide. l A clear definition of the difference between Accident and Emergency and Urgent Care Centre. l How the PCTs plan to measure outcomes and demonstrate improvements in services. l How the finances of the PCTs' proposals add up. Committee chairman Peter Griffiths, said: "The Joint Committee will be meeting every fortnight throughout the public consultation process and into the new year, to hear evidence from key stakeholders and examine the PCTs proposals. "We have a lot of work to get through in the coming months and will be examining the proposals in as much detail as possible to ensure a thorough assessment of the impact of these proposals on residents." The Joint Committee meeting will start at 11.30am, at County Hall, West Street, Chichester, and members of the public are welcome to attend.
