I HAVE just read the letter from Mrs C Clarke of Westbourne, Honeybourne, in the Journal of September 8, which gave me a distinct feeling of de ja vue. It has prompted me to relate my own experience.

My late mother, who was 83 at the time, was admitted to Royal Worcester Hospital with a suspected heart problem, as a precautionary measure in July last year. She was in permanent residential care (exemplary) at the Hawthorns Nursing Home in Evesham. She suffered from Alzheimer's disease and was unable to communicate and needed to be fed. She was put in a side ward and was not seen by a doctor for six hours! During that time she was obviously distressed and my husband and I comforted her as best we could. No food or drink were offered until I requested some, plus a syringe with no needle so that I could feed her myself. She ate all the pureed food and drank almost a pint of water. When my husband enquired about her being seen he was told that they were very busy and received the distinct impression that she was no great priority. Eventually a doctor did see her and decided to admit her to a ward overnight. Once on the ward, we had to explain to the doctor and staff that she was an Alzheimer's sufferer and had to request that side bars were put up so that she could not fall out of bed. The whole process was a case of us being proactive and them being reactive. Very worrying. Fortunately my mother recovered and was transferred back to the Hawthorns the next day and we breathed a very big sigh of relief.

Previous to this, my father had been taken ill and admitted to Evesham Hospital in August 2001. We realised that he was probably dying. The staff there could not have been kinder or any more professional. They showed great compassion and care and could not have done any more for him. When he died on October 31, 2001 the ward staff were genuinely upset and comforted me in a most sincere manner. Mrs Clarke call's them angels. I could not agree more with her. To close this hospital would be a crime against humanity and it must not be allowed to happen.

MRS MARGARET A HART, Withy Trees Road, South Littleton, Evesham.