Patients needing serious reconstructive facial surgery may have to travel more than 20 miles for treatment.

Patients who would normally be seen by maxillo-facial specialists at Worthing Hospital may be sent to St Richard's Hospital at Chichester instead.

The change has been agreed by the West Sussex Health Authority board but needs the approval of Worthing and District Community Health Council before it can go ahead.

Routine day and overnight cases will still be treated at Worthing but more serious cases, which require staying in hospital for two nights or more, will go St Richard's.

This is expected to affect more than 200 patients a year suffering from illnesses such as cancer or third- degree burns, which need major attention.

One maxillo-facial department is run between the two hospital sites and currently has three consultants, two specialist registrars and five junior doctor posts.

The distance between the hospitals means it is difficult to provide full cover at both Worthing and St Richard's and specialist registrars and juniors are not getting the training they need.

The health authority says this could lead to specialists looking elsewhere for training and the service would lose out.

A spokesman said: "The majority of patients will still be seen at Worthing but more serious cases will be consolidated on one site.

"It makes more sense to have a specialist service on one location rather than have a less effective service spread over two sites."

Worthing and District Community Health Council chief officer Trevor Richards said: "It is important that we attract the right staff so the best facilities possible can be provided.

"Our job is to make sure patients get the best treatment possible and to make sure those who have to travel further are dealt with properly."

If the move goes ahead it will be an interim measure as a regional review of all maxillo-facial services in Sussex, Kent and Hampshire is due to start in the next few months. This could lead to more changes in services in the long term.