I AM glad to learn from Councillor Anne Hingley that the Conservative cabinet members of Wyre Forest District Council are pro-active on health issues (Letters, December 1).

However, it was Health Concern councillors who raised awareness of the possible further downgrading of our hospital among the proposals from Finnamore Consultants. This has achieved the desired result - a statement from the acute hospitals trust that "any option involving a reduction of activity or facilities on our Kidderminster site is not worth pursuing on either financial or operational grounds."

It is surprising that county council officers could write on November 9, long before any reassurances were received, a response to the hospital review pre-consultation paper, with the knowledge of Conservative cabinet members, without any mention of Wyre Forest when South Worcestershire and Redditch both achieved this. Where were our pro-active Conservative councillors with a voice on county matters then?

Are our pro-active Conservative cabinet members aware of the letter of November 29 to the chairman of the acute trust from the MP for Redditch?

She opposes all changes at Redditch from the strength of her position as Privy Councillor and Minister of State. She writes: "I am disappointed to learn that you have closed the door on any further changes at Kidderminster."

Despite this she suggests the total closure of our birth centre and the removal of the night-time service at our minor injuries unit to help preserve services at Redditch.

Let us stop political sniping and concentrate our efforts across parties to maintain and improve our own hospital services which, despite the common sense response from the trust, could still be at risk from powerful voices from other parts of the county.

DR RICHARD TAYLOR

MP for Wyre Forest