ALMOST a year after the threat of closure, staff at King Edward VII Hospital in Midhurst are on tenterhooks this week.
They are hoping that the decision to grant planning permission to build a new hospital and 350 new homes, including a change of use of the existing hospital, will go ahead unopposed, following Chichester District Council's momentous decision to give the plan the green light last week.
It came despite a recommendation by Chichester District Council officers to recommend refusal.
But it could be called in for review by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, (ODPM) within the next three weeks, bringing with it a public inquiry and the likely threat of the closure of the existing hospital.
But staff were buoyant this week with a rescue plan to save King Edward VII Hospital a step closure to being realised.
With the hospital, which is almost £9 million in debt, now having to wait until at least the beginning of December to see if the decision will be referred to John Prescott, the director of development, Tricia Saunders, said she hoped he would be made aware of "the important role this hospital plays in the provision of healthcare for the community.
"We now recognise that the application is very much in the political arena and MPs across the region are working with Andrew Tyrie, the MP for Chichester, in the battle to ensure we keep our hospital at Midhurst."
She said that leaflets were being distributed in the community encouraging people to write letters of support to John Prescott,
"There was an amazing atmosphere when we came back with the decision last week," said Mrs Saunders. She added that the 300 plus staff still at the hospital had been "wonderful" during almost a year of fighting to keep the hospital open.