A SENTENCE in a current leaflet from a political party reads as follows: "Kidderminster Hospital will stay, emergency services led by an A and E Consultant are being retained..."

An apparently contradictory statement appears in the leaflet from Worcestershire Health Authority circulated with your newspaper, which states: "Emergency patients who would currently be taken to Kidderminster Hosp-ital's Accident and Emergency department will (as from September 2000) be cared for at Worcester Royal Infirmary."

This prompts me to ask if party officials actually understand the changes that are about to be made to our local hospital services.

R TAYLOR

Church Walk Kidderminster