SO, once again, the local hospital hits the headlines for all the wrong reasons (Hospital cuts shock, June 27), and the most worrying thing about it is that it is of no surprise to the residents of this town.

Mr Fillingham states: "The hospital cant go on, year after year, running up debts."

But if that is the case, then surely the response is that someone isnt doing their job.

Wards shutting and staff being made redundant as part of "the solution" aren't the answer.

Surely the Hippocratic Oath is about healing the sick and caring for the needy, and you cannot do that by taking away the facilities and the staff to do that.

Just how many of the redundancies will be clinical or nursing staff, and how many will be pen-pushers and bureaucrats?

When the Infirmary closed down several years ago, it was stated that this town wasn't large enough to warrant two such facilities, and encompassing everything in one area, at the Royal Bolton Hospital, would be the way forward for a more streamlined but efficient service.

What a laugh! How can it be a better service for our community when half the patients on the wards come from outside the borough?

The staff - who do a wonderful job in extremely stressful circumstances - deserve all the plaudits they can get.

In October and November last year, I had two procedures done at a private hospital on the patient choice scheme that were funded by the NHS.

If I had waited for my place at the hospital as normal, I would now be in a wheelchair. I had been told that it would be at least a two-year wait, despite being told by my consultant that my condition was serious and action needed to be taken urgently.

If we spent more on what was needed on our local health services, then I and many others in the same position wouldnt have to look elsewhere for our medicinal aid - unless of course that is the eventual idea of those in charge?

Our health used to be the envy of the world. Now it's just a sick joke.

Trevor Lester

Farnham Close

Halliwell