"I like having a hospital within ..."

What I liked

I like having a hospital within walking distance of where I live and where relatives can visit easily. Having relatives close by meant that they were able to drive me home following an operation and also were able to visit regularly, bringing anything that I needed when I stayed there.

When my grandmother was in the Princess Royal, the proximity meant that I could help feed her at mealtimes and visit regularly, which boosted her morale.

It is essential to have an easily accessibly hospital for day-surgery, when you have to fit in other considerations, such as child-care. It proved extremely difficult to arrange this for an operation I had at the Victoria hospital in Lewes, a small day-care unit, following the closure of Cuckfield ward at the Princess Royal. It also cost £27 each way in taxi fares.

What could be improved

Re-open the day care ward, Cuckfield ward and all other departments to maintain a fully functional hospital in this busy part of central Sussex. The accessibility of Brighton is extremely difficult from here and would be worrying if an emergency arose. Lewes is also inconvenient and there is sufficient capacity at the Princess Royal to absorb the day care treatment. The consultants from the PRH have been transferred to the other hospitals, yet they provided a fantastic service when they were local and there was no need for this transfer.

SAVE THE PRH