NOW that the heat of the election battle has died down, as a former resident of the town I wish to offer my congratulations to Dr Taylor on his elevation to parliament.

He has battled long and hard for the preservation of the general hospital, with little apparent success.

I remember, a number of years ago, when I attended a public meeting in the town hall concerning the status of the town hospital.

The main question at that time was the proposed staffing - or rather the absence of staffing - at the newly completed baby unit.

Some of us pointed out that history had shown in other regional hospitals, chipping away at the "layers of treatment" had begun in one department, and moved on to the A&E unit. It then crept in to the other medical departments until it was argued that the hospital was no longer able to fulfil its function, and it was downgraded to something of the status of a cottage hospital, with local GPs being responsible for the staffing.

Most patients in these circumstances had to be taken by ambulance to the latest favoured establishment in the particular regional board area.

This led to the meeting being told that, should this happen at Kidderminster, the favoured hospital in the region would be Worcester.

It seemed there was a battle of pride being waged by Worcester as it was the centre of the region's administration and applications were being made for its upgrading.

Feelings ran high but, it seems, to no avail.

The grinding wheels of bureaucracy have ground on relentlessly to the ultimate conclusion.

Now Dr Taylor is to continue the fight in parliament and I commend him for his tenacity. I wish him well as I have to thank the staff in the hospital that I am still alive and active today.

I do feel sad and disappointed, however, that Kidderminster voters allowed themselves to be swayed by sentiment and emotions. It is hardly the best use of democratic privilege to elect anyone on a single issue ticket. After all, your MP is there to put the local viewpoint on national issues, I would have thought.

To whom will Dr Taylor be responsible on questions other than Kidderminster Hospital?

It was a protest vote pure and simple as the people did not trust any of the recognised parties.

I rather fancy it will prove to have been a wasted vote as far as Kidderminster is concerned and the voters will have to wait another five years to return to legislative politics.

JACK ELLIS

Cornish Road, Bristol