I WELCOME David Lock's search for the truth and his pertinent questions in his Letter from Westminster last week.

An alternative option supported by Wyre Forest GPs and hospital consultants did appear as Option 3 in the report of the review of health services in Worcestershire by the chief executive at the meeting of the health authority on November 27, 1997.

This option retained more services at Kidderminster, including the possibility of receiving some blue light ambulances.

However, it was condemned by the health authority as not fully addressing the clinical issues.

Since then, GP and consultant opinion has been divided.

Some believe it is best to work with the health authority to try to obtain the best possible for patients within Investing in Excellence, and some feel this not to be in the best interests of their patients. Both are sincerely held views.

Mr Lock should tell the Prime Minister that similar changes to those in Option 3, and indeed even more favourable changes for local people, have been deemed medically possible in other parts of the country.

This is why the hospital campaign persists. We have long ago accepted the inevitability of some changes - for example, in vascular surgery - but we cannot understand why under the same Royal College guidelines patients in other parts of the country have been treated so much more fairly than we have.

There is a way forward. Since the King's Fund report in May 1998 and Mr Milburn made his decision in December 1998, there have been many changes.

The National Beds Inquiry has reported. The new national plan for the NHS has been unveiled and due to the present Government, more money is available.

Option 3 must be reconsidered, with a genuine will to make it work.

It can even now be the answer in the light of the problems already occurring, which will not be fairly resolved with the opening of the new hospital.

RT TAYLOR

Chairman

Save Kidderminster Hospital campaign