Agenda Item No. 5 Worthing Hospital 27th September 2012 Lyndhurst Road Worthing West Sussex BN11 2DH Tel: 01903 205111 Margaret Whitehead Fax: 01903 285045 Chairman, Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee www.westernsussexhospitals.nhs.uk County Hall West Street Chichester West Sussex PO19 1RQ Dear Margaret Update on Service Redesign for Quality – Health & Adult Social Care Select Committee (HASC) Recommendations Many thanks for your letter of 18 September and I am happy to be able to respond to your committee on behalf of the Trust. With regard to the specific points raised by the committee, I can offer you the following reassurances: As far as the future of the Harness Block at Southlands Hospital is concerned, we will of course keep the committee informed. I believe you are aware of the latest situation - that two proposals have been submitted for the future use of the block, and are currently being assessed by independent experts - and we will certainly seek to inform the committee as the process develops. We are committed to communicating changes in service delivery, both to the public in general, and to any relevant stakeholders. We view this as essential to engage people in change, build support and understanding for service developments, and to ensure that patients have the information they need. In terms of the recent changes to some elective orthopaedic surgical procedures, associated with Service Redesign for Quality, that communication has included: writing to all local GPs to inform their discussions with patients; a statement issued to local media; a clinical presentation and Q&A session with our membership, and we are also planning proactive media work which we anticipate will include a broadcast by BBC South. Finally I can assure you that we will always endeavour to inform you of significant developments at the Trust, and welcome any opportunities to support the work of the committee members in any way we can. Yours sincerely, Phillip Barnes PhD FRCP Medical Director .