Given the current intense national focus on the future shape and function of hospitals, stakeholders in health care systems have to consider the most appropriate configuration of their hospitals so that their clinical services are adequately supported by other specialties, are fit for purpose, sustainable, accessible and deliver the highest possible quality of care. The clinical relationships and dependencies of hospital-based services on each other is key, but the evidence base to guide an understanding of these dependencies is uncertain.

On this basis, the seven Sussex CCGs (through their Collaborative) sought from the South East Coast Clinical Senate (SECCS) generic, evidence-supported clinical advice on the necessary relationships between acute hospital services, to inform their future local discussions and planning. The remit of the review was to provide generic advice, not region or locality-specific, and to identify evidence where it exists, or clinical consensus where it did not, to describe what services needed to be provided in the same hospital (either based there, or inreaching), and what could be provided on a networked basis. A clinical reference group was established, a literature review undertaken, and a clinical senate summit convened, and SECCS worked closely with the four strategic clinical networks in the region.

This report is intended to be a useful clinical reference point to commissioners, providers and clinicians in the future planning of their acute hospital services. A copy may be downloaded from the SECCS website.

For further information contact the SECCS senate manager, Ali Parsons, aliparsons@nhs.net.