WITH reference to the removal of emergency surgery from the A&E department at Chorley Hospital, the explanations given by Mr Curtis and Dr Munghal are far from satisfactory or reassuring.

The removal of any service from the hospital has made wide ranging complications for:

The patients who would use that service and are now to be transferred to Preston.

The relatives of those patients who now have to travel to Preston in order to visit them whilst they are in hospital.

The recruitment of high quality consultants who will not wish to work at a hospital which does not have a full range of services. The career implications for consultants are important.

The future status of the hospital, as medical scrutiny boards may deem it unsatisfactory to develop future services as present services are too limited.

There is the ever present danger that over a fairly long period of time, services at Chorley will gradually be transferred to Preston.

We must not let this happen.

We must oppose any reduction of services at Chorley.

The fight to establish Chorley as a district general hospital was long and hard.

For the benefit of patients and in respect of all the people who fought to establish Chorley Hospital, let us say no to any further suggested closures.

Vigilance will be directly necessary if Chorley and Preston achieve foundation status.

Alan Tonkington, Brentwood Road, Anderton