THE majority of Highley residents have used the excellent services provided at the former Kidderminster and District General Hospital, and particularly the accident and emergency services, for many years.

However, the population of the villages and communities in the south of Shropshire have substantially increased and villages such as Highley, Alveley and Cleobury Mortimer no longer have safe access to A&E services within 25 miles.

Shropshire Health Authority was spending over £2.3 million yearly at Kidderminster Hospital for health services provided for the south of Shropshire.

Jane Lawrence (Letters, December 7), says she is amazed at the arrogance and muddled thinking of Health Concern and its supporters.

Perhaps she might like to explain how after so many years, Kidderm-inster Hospital, together with its excellent accident and emergency department, suddenly becomes unsafe, particularly after spending millions of pounds on building a new hospital on the Sutton Road site, much of which has not been used, and never will be.

Hospitals at Ronkswood, Castle Street, Worcester, and Kidderminster, with a total of over 800 beds, are to be replaced by a new hospital at Worcester with 500-plus beds, which is going to cost £17 million per annum for the next 30 years to rent from the developers.

All of this was the work of politicians and civil servants. If this is the result of the Royal Colleges, local consultant physicians and general practitioners' advice, then it is muddled thinking and arrogance.

CD BACHE

Health Concern

Blything Court

Highley