What was said at the Public Meeting 1st July 2025 in Storrington?
- horshamolderpeople
- Jul 22
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 13
Our Forum Chairman, David Searle, welcomed those present and online via Zoom on what was a very hot day. He thanked Andi Duntan and his staff for welcoming HDOPF to Storrington Leisure Centre and providing much-needed refreshments.
Waste Recycling
Sophie Goddall-Smith from the West Sussex CC Waste Prevention Team shared insights on how waste in West Sussex is managed. She discussed the introduction of food waste collection, which will start in Spring 2026. A PDF copy of her presentation slides is below.
The Five Pillars of Waste Management
The five key principles in waste management are Reduce, Reuse, Recycling, and Recover.
Reduce
Food waste is a significant contributor to overall waste. It accounts for 40% of total waste created. We can reduce this by avoiding over-purchasing and cooking excessive amounts. Don’t buy items on BOGOFF offers unless you know you will eat them. Always check if food can be frozen. Items like bread, milk, and leftover home-cooked meals can be frozen for later use.
Community Food Hubs are available to help combat food waste. UK Harvest, along with local community fridges, offers large bags of food for just £5. You can find more details on the UK Harvest website.
The Government is also working with manufacturers to reduce packaging and promote biodegradable materials.
Reuse
We live in a throwaway society. Before disposing of unwanted items, consider donating them to charity shops or using charity bags left at your doorstep. If you have broken appliances or toys, consider taking them to a Repair Café. For a small donation, they will repair your items.
Half-used or unwanted tins of paint can be left at recycling depots for others to take and reuse. Furniture can be donated to various charities such as Horsham Matters or the British Heart Foundation. Search online to find a facility that will accept your items for reuse.
Recycling
You can recycle the following items in your home recycling bins:
Clean, dry paper, card, and cartons (Tetra Pak)
Plastic bottles, pots, tubs, and trays with lids on
Toothpaste tubes and pill blister packs
Aluminium and steel cans, aerosols, and crunched-up aluminium foil
Glass bottles and jars with lids removed
Clean, Dry, and Loose:
Rinse containers and ensure all water is emptied.
Recycling must be kept dry. Bin lids should be closed, and no cardboard should be placed alongside your bin.
Recycling must be loose:
Plastic bags cannot be recycled in your kerbside bin.
Recover
You can recycle more at Recycling Centres in West Sussex than at home. Check the WSSC website for more details:
The Book to Recycle scheme operates at all Recycling Centres.
Book online or by phone – you can book up to two weeks in advance, and same-day bookings are available.
Proof of residency will be required.
You can make five trips per month.
Billingshurst and Worthing do not require booking.
Six Centres in West Sussex accept paint for reuse, but you must book a visit.
Green Waste Collection
YES Please
Plant prunings | Grass cuttings | Leaves
Twigs and small branches (no larger than your wrist)
Old or used compost
Kitchen waste, including peelings and eggshells
Flowers & Weeds
NO thanks
Pet bedding or pet waste |
Plastic bags and liners |
Household recyclables |
Stones and hardcore |
Soil |
Telephone Switch Over from Copper Lines to Online
Chris Hockley from BT Digital Phones informed us about the ongoing changeover to residential 'Digital Voice' phones.
The UK’s landlines are transitioning to digital. This means phone calls will now be made over the broadband network instead of the old analogue copper wire network. Everyone will be moved to digital voice phones. Work started in January 2025 and must be completed by January 2027. A video explanation can be found here.
You will be able to keep your same phone number, and there will be no increase in BT charges. Ninety-nine percent of existing phones will work under the new 'Digital Voice' system, allowing you to keep the phones you’re used to. The new system will also provide enhanced scam protection features to protect you from fraud.
A significant change is that when dialing a number, you must include the area code. For example, when phoning someone in Horsham, you would use 01403 before the number. You will need to update your phone's address book to include the area codes.
Digital phones will not work during a power cut. There are options to ensure you can still make calls, including emergency calls to 999, during a blackout. Discuss these options with the broadband telephone engineer when they visit.
For some, the landline is a lifeline, and the switch may cause anxiety. Your provider will offer support during the transition to digital phones. If you do not have or want broadband, you will be moved to a new dedicated landline service. This will allow you to continue using your phone as you do today until you are ready to switch to digital.
If you have Telecare, you will receive support throughout the switch to ensure your Telecare device is connected and working before the engineer leaves. This visit is FREE and will include the installation of a free battery backup unit if required. If the Telecare device doesn’t work, the engineer will switch you back to the analogue landline and wait until you have a compatible device.
You will receive at least four weeks’ notice before being moved to digital phones, with all communications sent via letter or postcard.
For further assistance, please contact BT customer services at 0800 1234 150. To feel more supported and knowledgeable about the Digital Switchover, support is available on BT's website.
NHS Latest
Laura Robertson, Director of Communications and Engagement at NHS Sussex, joined us via Zoom to provide an update on the NHS.
A lot of work has been done across the government to produce a 10-year Health Plan for the NHS. This plan was published on the 3rd of July and outlines practical priorities.
The Plan states the government will 'reinvent the NHS through three radical shifts:
hospital to community
analogue to digital
sickness to prevention
These will be the core components of our new care model. To support the scale of change, we will ensure the entire NHS is ready to deliver these shifts quickly through:
a new operating model
ushering in a new era of transparency
creating a new workforce model with staff genuinely aligned with future reforms
reshaping the innovation strategy
adopting a different approach to NHS finances
Laura also mentioned that significant changes are coming to the organisation of the NHS. NHS England, which has been in place for many years, will be abolished over the next few years and integrated into the Department of Health and Social Care. This will require a 50% reduction in internal staff, achieved through departmental reorganisation. This will provide a new perspective on what the NHS will look like in the future. It coincides with the devolution of Local Government, meaning many changes are happening locally. These changes will not affect those being treated at home in virtual wards.
Laura expects the Autumn vaccination program to proceed this year. She will keep us updated on when it will start and the locations that will deliver the vaccinations.
Blood Tests
Lucy Weeks from SASH provided an update on the new booking system for Phlebotomy services at Horsham, Crawley, and East Surrey Hospitals.
There were initial teething problems with the online booking system, but these have now been resolved. The Horsham hospital service remains unchanged, except that you now need to book a slot to avoid queuing. Previously, walk-in patients often waited over an hour and had difficulty finding parking. The capacity remains unchanged, but it is now more evenly spaced throughout the day. If an emergency appointment is needed, the hospital department (not GP surgeries) will make the appointment for you.
It was noted that there was a longer waiting list at Horsham Hospital compared to Crawley or East Surrey. To address this, an additional 20 slots were added each day at Horsham, which has been effective. Just before Lucy's presentation, she checked the Horsham hospital blood test booking system and found that the next available appointment was on July 4th at 11:35 a.m. Today is Tuesday, and your next appointment is scheduled for Friday, which may not be suitable due to ongoing treatment. Emergency slots are available for same-day requests, either by phone, walk-in, or through the hospital Administrator.
For those unable to book online, a Helpline booking system is available. However, feedback indicated it was not functioning well initially, with unacceptable waiting times for calls. The high demand was unexpected, but additional staff have been hired, significantly reducing call waiting times.
Lucy recently visited Horsham and timed a patient coming in for a blood test. From the moment they checked in on the touchscreen tablet to when their blood was taken, the process took just two and a half minutes. While this is not always the case, it shows the system is working well.
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