Earlier this month, it was announced that Acorns Nursery, which opened at Southlands Hospital in the late 1980s, for children of staff, would close on January 31, 2007. It was said the nursery was under-used and running at a loss of more than 80,000 '“ its highest figure ever. Eight staff at the nursery will lose their jobs, some of whom have worked there since it opened. Parent Elaine Reibbitt, who uses the nursery, said: "The parents of Acorns would like to say a huge thank-you for the excellent care the staff have given to our children and for the kindness, understanding and sense of fun they have shown them. They are all going to be greatly missed and are sorry that it came to such an abrupt end. "The parents have written to Worthing and Southlands Hospitals Trust chief Stephen Cass, with a number of concerns, not least the lack of consideration they have shown towards the children, having to resettle them in to a new nursery at such short notice '“ yet more victims of NHS cutbacks. It is such a pity when they are at such crucial developmental stages of their lives, during a season of goodwill." Parent Sandra Dooley, who works for the hospital trust as a physiotherapist, said: "I have always been a supporter of the NHS, but I am not happy about the way the closure is at such short notice. "It means my four-year-old daughter will have to go to a different nursery for just eight months before starting school in September. She has been going to Acorns since she was a baby and the staff really know her and she is happy there. It is so convenient for me because I don't live far from the hospital. It means over the Christmas and New Year period I am expected to find a new nursery for her, which is a ridiculous time." Trust human resources director Steve Richards said: "In this difficult financial climate, we have no alternative but to look at all areas of saving. I understand and regret that this decision has caused anxiety to both staff and parents, but we could not justify continuing the subsidy to a facility which was continually under-used and while there are serious financial pressures on the trust." He said the area childcare co-ordinator would be in contact with parents to help them find suitable alternative places in other nurseries while staff would be provided with a range of support to help them to secure alternative work.