AS a Kidderminster Hospital campaigner I am aware that there are several "reorganisation rats" about, but I didn't realise, until recently, that we also have dozens of political lemmings in prominent position in the county. They are called county councillors and inhabit County Hall.

At a county council meeting the six newly-elected Health Concern Councillors from Wyre Forest tried to apply the brakes to the headlong rush of dozens of Tory, Labour and Lib Dems who want to lump all of Herefordshire and Worcestershire together with Warwickshire and Coventry to establish a new Strategic Health Authority for the West Midlands South, clustering particularly upon Coventry and Warwick Hospitals. I know, I did not believe it either, at first.

Health Concern, instead, proposed the case for a more "West Mercia" type configuration of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire to develop clinical networking and expertise with new hospitals in Hereford and Worcester with Shrewsbury, Telford, Redditch and Kidderminster's premises sharing, sensibly, in hospital health-care.

The case was eloquently made and supported in discussion by some.

Surprising

However, it was surprising to hear the Tory and Labour lemmings chirrup very loudly about how important it was to get Government money (said to be available in abundance), by complying quietly, and going along with what was offered.

Besides, "Kidderminster people should not be so parochial," because, "we in Redditch want... to remain closely attached to Coventry's Wallgrave Hospital, particularly for cancer and heart treatments!"

Well, with the recent latest revelations about that hospital's track record, this must be the boomerang quote of the week.

Health Concern's sensible, workable, proposition along already established lines of communication and partnership was defeated, 13 to 38.

I wonder, if the vote was taken again, the scores might be changed about? If they were not, perhaps we might conjure up a convenient clifftop for the 38 to steer towards.

DAVID PARRY, (of Health Concern but this written as an individual), Kidderminster.