SIR: Every winter there is an unfortunate increase in the number of patients with respiratory problems and at this time it is essential that there is an efficient supply of hospital beds to cope with this increase.

Bolton's elderly people need the reassurance that they will get the full backing of Bolton Hospital Trust's facilities at the most vulnerable time of the year.

Last year one of the solutions they used was specifically to use a 30 bedded ward at Bolton Royal Infirmary in addition to allocating patients to various other wards at the General Hospital.

I ask Bolton Health Trust through the pages of your newspaper how they intend to cope, next winter, when Bolton Royal Infirmary is not available.

With the closure of Bolton Royal Infirmary the public is entitled to know how Bolton Hospital Trust will deal with this problem next winter. We should also be informed of the plans they have made to accommodate Bolton's elderly, particularly, in the event of an unusual increase in the requirements of the vulnerable.

David Crausby

Labour's Prospective Parliamentary

Candidate Bolton North East

Manchester Road, Bury

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.