New Hospital for Crawley

5.39.56pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 17th May 2008

Liberal Democrat Councillor, Gordon Seekings - "we are all supporters of a first class hospital with an A&E department to serve the residents of Crawley."

Northgate Councillor, Gordon Seekings, was the representative of the Liberal Democrats at today's rally for a new hospital for Crawley. The text of his speech is below:

"I feel that I am here fraudulently - we are all supporters of a first class hospital with an A&E department to serve the residents of Crawley. You are here because you support it - and so am I.

"In Crawley we have a population of 100.000; in the wider north east Sussex area we have a population that is easily 300,000 which is increasing every year. The need for more, not less, hospitals is already there - and that need can only continue.

"In this area we have a growing and aging population

"There are over 14,000 residents with a limiting long-term illness and that's nearly 15% of the population.

"There are over 6,000 residents in the working age category with a limiting long-term illness - that's over 10% of our fellow residents

"Over 8000 residents in this area according to the last census rate their General health as Not Good - that's 7% of the population.

"For every one of those people a need for an easily accessible hospital is not a luxury but a must.

"This area contains major transportation links such as London Gatwick Airport, main line rail connections along with significant road networks. Almost everyday an accident in one of those locations results in hospital treatment being needed by at least one person.

"This area of north east West Sussex is both vital to the economy and yet existing hospital services are stretched to their limit; East Surrey Hospital is struggling to cope and already over half of it's patients come from Sussex; Crawley Hospital has been downgraded; and the Princess Royal in Haywards Heath seems to be under a permanent threat of closure.

"Whilst Crawley Borough Council, that I am proud to serve on, is not the responsible authority for providing healthcare it has been concerned to see the downgrading and removal of essential, acute hospital services, such as accident & emergency and maternity from Crawley Hospital in recent years. That concern has been reflected from all Political parties on the Council - Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative.

"The moves to downgrade Crawley Hospital has, and continues to, put the lives of residents at risk. It is not something that we as responsible Councillors want to see happen.

"Whether this campaign organised today is the best for Crawley or whether it is politically motivated by a wanabee MP is a side issue - it is at present the only scheme that remotely can be called a serious one.

"The need to return Accident and Emergency and Maternity services to Crawley is supported by all political parties on Crawley Borough Council and it is that we all support.

"My colleagues in Horsham Lib Dems recently submitted a formal response to West Sussex Primary Care Trust's consultation on ways in which the delivery of acute care might be changed and improved within the whole of West Sussex and in particular this area.

"1) Redhill hospital is too far away and too difficult to get to. Better access is required to Acute Care, Maternity facilities and Accident and Emergency.

"2) None of the options in "Fit for the Future" improve the situation but actually make the situation worse, requiring even more patients to attend Redhill hospital.

"3) As all the considered options would require further investment in Redhill to enable it to handle more patients, consideration should instead be given to investing in a new hospital that could be more easily reached; a hospital in the Horsham/Crawley area linked to the rail and motorway network.

"4) The Primary Care Trust has previously argued against a new hospital on the grounds that by diverting patients to a new hospital and reducing the numbers to Redhill hospital, Redhill hospital would be destabilised. However we believe that the Primary Care Trust's first consideration should be to provide an adequate service to the people in West Sussex; including those in the Horsham - Crawley area.

"5) A key assumption within "Fit for the Future" is the intention to provide increased care locally within the community. This is welcomed but cannot be adequately or safely provided if our nearest major hospital is at Redhill.

"6) The recent review was given the title "Fit for the Future". Therefore fit for the future is what must result from the review. It will not be good enough if just a few changes are made to existing arrangements. There is a need for improved access to acute health care in this part West Sussex and that issue must be addressed now.

"The cost of a new hospital has also been sited as a reason for no action.

"If a new hospital is built on the outskirts of Crawley - whether at Pease Pottage or to the West of Bewbush - it will cost money. That cost can partially be offset by the freeing up of the land of the present Crawley Hospital site.

"Yes………it will still cost a great deal of money……….But surely the cost of NOT providing a new hospital will be greater? Can we actually afford not to build one? Can we, those who care about the Healthcare of the residents of this part of West Sussex, sit by and do nothing?

Ladies and Gentleman - we have only one option - to fight for the best Health Care for the residents of Crawley, and that means a new hospital.