Fears about the future of an historic hospital intensified today after plans for a major shake-up of medical services were unveiled.

Health bosses want to transfer all inpatient services at Southlands Hospital in Shoreham to Worthing Hospital by 2004.

The move has sparked concerns about the future of Southlands, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year and where buildings are in a poor condition.

Patients are worried that Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs both hospitals, will eventually pull out of Southlands altogether and the site will be sold for housing.

The trust insists it is fully commited to Southlands and there are no plans to withdraw all services.

It had originally intended to announce plans for the move to Worthing alongside proposals to refurbish Southlands and develop other facilities there.

But recent inspections of southlands by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons have speeded up the plans to transfer services.

The Royal College indicated it would not be willing to accredit junior doctors training at Southlands beyond 2002 unless there were clear plans to move services to Worthing.

This would mean junior doctors would no longer come to Southlands and medical cover for orthopaedic and care of the elderly services would be lost.

If the proposals are given the go ahead all inpatient services in orthopaedics and medicine for the elderly, plus day case surgery currently provided at Southlands, would be accommodated in Worthing.

This would provide new facilities for 50 orthopaedic beds, 73 medicine for the elderly beds, 17 orthopaedic elderly beds plus an 18-place day surgical unit.

It would mean up to 4,000 extra people a year from the Adur, Arun, Worthing and Chanctonbury areas would be treated at Worthing.

Trust planning director Martin Pearson said: "It is unfortunate that the timing for consultation on the move of acute services to Worthing does not coincide with proposals for the long-term future of other services at Southlands.

"Everyone can be assured however that there is a strong commitment to finding the best possible use for the hospital.

"A group has been established to consider all options and any proposals for change will be subject to full consultation."

Public meetings on the proposals will be held at Davison CE School in Selbourne Road, Worthing, on September 20 at 7.30pm and Shoreham Community Centre, in Pond Road, on September 21 at 7.30pm.