Health boss wielding axe does not live in Sussex

6:54am Friday 22nd June 2007

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The man responsible for proposed hospital service cuts across West Sussex does not even live in the county, The Argus can reveal.

Last night there was mounting anger from campaigners who said John Wilderspin, the chief executive of West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT), was not interested in the county.

There were also claims that if Mr Wilderspin lived in the area and not Petersfield in Hampshire, the dramatic cuts at the region's hospitals would not be on the cards.

Tom Wye, the chairman of the Keep Worthing and Southlands Hospital campaign, said: "Once it is all over he'll never visit Sussex again.

"He is elected by nobody in Sussex, he's not interested in Sussex and he is decimating our medical facilities.

"If he lived in Worthing he would be in a very uncomfortable position. People are so angry."

The changes in services announced on Wednesday will see two hospitals lose their accident and emergency departments and other services, leaving only one major hospital in West Sussex.

Worthing Hospital, St Richard's Hospital in Chichester and the Princess Royal in Haywards Heath face losing their accident and emergency departments, maternity services and intensive care units as a result of the changes.

Prior to his appointment at West Sussex PCT, Mr Wilderspin was joint boss at East Hampshire PCT and Fareham and Gosport PCT for 18 months where he oversaw similar shake ups of services.

Worthing West MP Peter Bottomley said: "I hope where he lives is not important but if the chief executive had lived in the Worthing area, I believe things would have been different.

"We knew he came from Hampshire with a tough reputation and I hope it doesn't matter that he is not personally affected."

Ron Noakes, the chairman of the Friends of Worthing Hospitals, said: "The proposed changes will not affect him at all.

"We must have more than one major hospital and here we have someone not living in Sussex telling us that we can't.

"He's got no affinity with Sussex. Does he care about people in Sussex? Not in the slightest because he doesn't live here."

Mid Sussex district councillor and health campaigner Paddy Henry said focus should not be on where Mr Wilderspin lives.

He said: "I couldn't give a damn if he lived in Iceland. It's what they do and how they do it is important."

Luke Blair, a PCT spokesman said it was wrong for campaigners to rest the blame for the proposals on Mr Wilderspin.

He said: "He happens to be one of the public figures leading the project. It's not him and him alone making the decisions.

"Where he lives now is less important than his huge amount of professionalism and experience in health issues and surly that's the important thing.

"He is very committed to the local area and that local services improve for the local people.

"We should really be focusing on the issues here and that is how we plan services for the local area.

"Let's have a debate about that and that is what the consultation is about."

Mr Wilderspin carried out a similar shake-up of services at Fareham and Gosport PCT two years ago when it recorded a £5 million deficit and he has a reputation as a trouble shooter.

Speaking from his home he told The Argus that non-executive members of the PCT board and clinical members live and work in West Sussex.

He said: "The concern that has been expressed implies we should be making our decision on my experience and my views of healthcare in West Sussex.

"Consultation is actually about finding out the views of local residents and users of health services in West Sussex so that we can take account of their views when we make ultimate decisions."

What do you think? Should people not affected by the hospital plans be allowed to hold the key to their futures? Leave your comments below.