‘Mini hospital’ may be a solution to Burgess Hill’s rapid population growth

Dr Minesh Patel of the Horsham and Mid Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group

Health professionals have discussed the option of creating a mini hospital at Burgess Hill in an aim to help GP surgeries which may not be able to cope as the population grows.

Horsham and Mid Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) met earlier this month to discuss key objectives with the public as housing numbers in the area increase.

Dr Ian Holwell, Horsham and Mid Sussex Locality Group and member of the governing body, suggested the possibility of turning Sydney West, on Leylands Road, Burgess Hill, into a mini hospital.

He said The Brow Medical Centre in Burgess Hill also had priority, as it desperately needed more space.

The group also discussed the possibility of expanding Silverdale Surgery, on Silverdale Road, Burgess Hill. as it was the only centre east of the railway.

Dr Holwell added: “This is the start of the conversation, nothing is absolutely nailed down.”

Steve Williams, member of Horsham and Mid Sussex CCG and programme director, said the plan was to expand GP practices and services and improve the health care centre in Haywards Heath.

He said the group wanted to develop the community hub role of the Princess Royal Hospital.

Mr Willams explained that the situation in Burgess Hill was complex as, with 4,000 new homes planned in the northern arc, some GPs would be able to cope and some would not.

The meeting included a Q&A session with the panel.

One resident questioned the CCG’s awareness of rural and urban areas in Mid Sussex.

Dr Minesh Patel, clinical chair of the governing body, said: “It’s not lost on us. We have quite a mixed population of urban and rural. There’s a challenge around transport and accessibility.”

One member of public, who said she had osteonecrosis and had been house-bound for eight months, said the ‘breaking of services’ and the number of people she had to speak to before she received sufficient care was ‘mind boggling’.

“If you’re house bound you can’t get to a meeting, we need to involve people at home.”

She asked: “What support is there?”

Dr Patel responded: “You encapsulate a number of issues, you encapsulate why we are sitting here. There is a proliferation of services, they’re fragmented.